Bertie Ahern
One of the big fears that we had in this country, and I know that a number of the smaller countries that are now in this present phase of enlargement is, would you lose your cultural identity, would you lose the cultural things - the song and dance and music and writing that people have?
On the other side of it, we do have a moral obligation and also for economic coherence in the world and under the GATT round - an obligation to try to help the developing world.
Of course people have the right to demonstrate and hopefully it is all peacefully. But we're dealing with a European agenda and it is our role to do it and it would be a gross insult for Irish people not to honour that invitation and of course he will receive a very good welcome in Ireland.
Obviously, Europe in the first case and the Common Agricultural Policy, has to look after its own citizens but there's a large cost to that.
Obviously we hold a right, if there's a major problem, to change that position. It is our view that there will not be. And obviously if people are coming to work they will only stay if there is work and if there is opportunities.
Obviously there are differences to be completed. But in the end it is - perhaps I think at the outset, somebody said that anyone in a second level college anywhere in Europe should be able to pick it up and totally understand it - that might be pressing a bit far.
Obviously the context of that in terms of the population would change dramatically if Turkey were members.
Now you have a market economy of 450 million people after the 1st May where you can trade your goods and services if you're competitive enough. But at least your competitive ability is something that is really in your own population.
Now what we are endeavouring to do is we know what the outstanding issues are, we know that we could argue forever about the rights and the wrongs.
Now to make that happen in the north, it needs people working from different communities. It means Republicans dealing with Unionists and that is a big move. We almost got there a few times but because paramilitarism hadn't stopped, it brought down the institutions.
Northern Ireland's position doesn't change or for a UK citizen but for anyone coming from anywhere else in the UK would still, if the baby was born in the island of Ireland, be an Irish citizen.
My foreign minister has been to Israel, he's been to the Middle East. I've had the Palestinian Prime Minister and foreign minister here.
Most countries, including Ireland, will implement the new system fully from the 1st January. And of course there are many countries would argue that we need more reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy.
Many people in Europe would complain - the element of their taxes and goes to subsidies - but we have to look after that.
Malta's always been associated with Europe, always close to Europe.
Malta's - what they don't have in their natural resources I think they make up in tourism and they make up in other areas.
Malta met the criteria far quicker than most and their negotiating position was very strong. Their government had to fight a very tough and hard campaign which they won and subsequently went on to win the election. I think they are in a good position.
Let's be clear it is very difficult, we must continue to work with the countries in the Middle East to try to find an acceptable way forward.
It's not that we look forward to that but it is a sign of the success of what we have achieved. And obviously it's only right that having done well and having got help that we share that back into countries that are now joining and I think that shows real solidarity.
It's in the next round that Ireland will become a net contributor.