Chirac, Frankrigs præsident, og i dette tilfælde beklager jeg, at hans myndige, modige og altid betimelige stemme mangler i forbindelse med de uheldige offentlige udtalelser om den vestlige civilisations påståede overlegenhed over de øvrige civilisationer, som for nylig er blevet fremsat af hr. Berlusconi, formand for Republikken Italiens ministerråd.
I want to say this because I wish to express my solidarity and that of my group with the statements by the President of the Commission, Mr Prodi, the Vice-President of the Commission, Mr Patten, the President-in-Office of the Council, Mr Michel, the President of the French Republic, Mr Chirac, and in this case I regret that we have not heard him speak - since he always does so authoritatively, bravely and appropriately - in relation to the unfortunate public remarks of the President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy, Mr Berlusconi, on the supposed superiority of Western civilisation over other civilisations.