Acknowledgments

Robert D. Blackwill

Independent Task Force Report
The Future of Transatlantic Relations

February 1999

Council on Foreign Relations

 

Over the past year, the Independent Task Force on the Future of Transatlantic Relations, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, and this report, have benefited from the assistance of many people. I am especially indebted to the members of the Task Force and observers from both the Clinton administration and European diplomatic missions in Washington, and to the many presenters who admirably helped guide our discussions. Without the hard work, dedication, and wise counsel of all of these colleagues, this project would not have been successful.

I am delighted that all 40 members of the Task Force endorse the broad thrust of this report, although not all have signed on to every word or prescription in this volume, and some have registered additional views or specific dissents. The willingness of all Task Force participants—members and observers—to share their time, thoughts, and expertise has significantly enriched this report. In particular, I wish to thank Ambassador Juergen Chrobog of the Federal Republic of Germany, Ambassador Hugo Paemen of the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States, Ambassador Ferdinando Salleo of Italy, and Ambassador K. Erik Tygesen of Denmark for their regular participation and always insightful advice.

My gratitude also goes to the European Commission of the European Union for its generous financial support of this project. In this respect, I appreciate the assistance provided by John Richardson and Jonathan Davidson of the commission’s Washington Delegation.

At the Council on Foreign Relations, I would like to acknowledge Council President Leslie H. Gelb, who was instrumental in the creation of this Task Force, and Paula Dobriansky, Vice President and Director of the Council’s Washington Program, and her staff for arranging our numerous meetings. Edward Fogarty, a research associate at the Council, also provided enthusiastic support to the Task Force at every stage and helped ensure that this effort remained on course.

Finally, I am grateful to my staff at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. My warm thanks go to Leigh Morris, for her research and logistical assistance, as well as to Amy Clemons and Jennifer McLeod, for their administrative support and help in the final production stages. I owe a special debt to Kristin Archick, who coauthored with me a set of analytical background papers for the Task Force (which may be found on the Council’s web site at http://www.foreignrelations.org), and whose assistance was invaluable in countless ways throughout the life of this project.

Robert D. Blackwill, Chairman and Project Director