 The British Embassy to
Bulgaria along with the Center for the Study of Democracy,
which acts as the Executive Secretariat of the Southeast European Legal Development
Initiative (SELDI), co-hosted a discussion at the Residence of
the British Ambassador, Mr. Ian Soutar on June 10, 2002. Mr.
William Wallace (Lord Wallace of Saltaire), professor of International Relations
at the London School of
Economics, delivered a lecture on the "Structure of Europe
after EU and NATO Enlargement".
 In his speech Lord Wallace
pointed out that enlargement of the EU is a process which has been
underway since years although large questions had being raised as
of whether countries from Central Asia and North Africa could apply
for a membership and where in fact "Europe ends". 
According to Lord Wallace there is a shortage of strategic
leadership in the EU at present with all member states being
engaged mostly with domestic policy. He also expressed hope that
Bulgarian political leaders will succeed in convincing the European
member states of how important the accession for our country is. A
broad debate on the future of the EU and NATO is needed throughout
all European countries and the initiative has to be taken by the EU
institutions as regards to the further development of the European
Security and Defense Policy with view to the new priorities in the
US foreign and defense policy, Lord Wallace added.
 The lecture was followed by a discussion on the
attitude of Britain towards the Eastern enlargement of both
organizations with participants from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, MPs, diplomats, representatives of international
organizations, and journalists. 
Professor William Wallace
Professor Wallace became member of the House
of Lords' Select Committee on the European Communities and
Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Justice and Home Affairs in 1997.
He was made a Peer in 1995 and became a Liberal Democrat spokesman
on Foreign Affairs and Defence. Professor Wallace has been a
lecturer at the London School of Economics since 1995. He was
international relations reader at the LSE between 1995-99; lecturer
in government, Manchester University in 1967-77; director of
studies, Royal Institute of
International Affairs in 1978-90; Walter F. Hallstein Fellow at
St Antony's College, Oxford in 1990-95. He is a member of the
International Steering Board of the Southeast European Legal
Development Initiative (SELDI).
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