British PM : Powers should "ebb back" to nation states

Powers should "ebb back" from Brussels to nation states, British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a keynote foreign policy speech on Monday. Against a background of financial and political uncertainty and change in the European Union (EU) and the eurozone, Cameron struck a sceptical note about the current nature of the EU. Meanwhile, the PM emphasized "leaving EU is not in our national interest." "As I said, change brings opportunities. An opportunity to begin to refashion the EU so it better serves this nation's interests and the interests of its other 26 nations," Cameron said. He then called for "open markets, flexible economies and enterprise" and the completion of the single market in services. The PM reaffirmed his commitment to have no British combat troops fighting in Afghanistan by the end of 2014. He also reiterated a commitment to tackle pirates off the coast of Somalia, "Somali pirates aren't invincible. They are violent and lawless men in small boats and it is time we properly stood up to them." Cameron said that British military intervention in Libya under a United Nations mandate, had been a success but said it did not represent a "new British doctrine for intervention." In Libya, he said the role of the Arab League had been crucial, and welcomed "their decision this weekend to suspend Syria's membership." Cameron called for stronger British relations with China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Nigeria, South Africa, and Russia in the interests of trade. He said Britain would support Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organization.