But a new hybrid political form, dependent on international law and deep co-operation between the older states, would create a political model which would challenge traditional assumptions about government all over the world.So if the EU is so interesting, why does it seem so dull?
Instead he has offered them "deeper co-operation".
Caroline Lucas, the Greens' only MP, is one of the more eloquent advocates of deeper co-operation between non-Tory parties.
Given their contrasting economic strengths China's in manufacturing, India's in services some see an opportunity for much deeper co-operation.
"Li seized on Kerry's proposal for deeper co-operation on green technology research, calling this 'immediately realistic'," a cable reports.
FitzGerald, after all, persuaded Margaret Thatcher to sign the 1985 Anglo-Irish agreement, which gave Dublin a stronger say in Northern Ireland affairs and paved the way for closer and deeper co-operation between the Irish and British governments.
It is simply not the case that some countries want to achieve deeper co-operation on criminal justice, say, while others want a European policy on taxes, and yet others want to speed integration on employment policy or social security.
"I am hopeful that today's exchange between the two leaders will enable them to engage in deeper co-operation on this and a range of other challenges and opportunities".
In the past, the west was blackmailed with the possibility of Ukraine's "deepening" friendship with Russia, while Russia was blackmailed with possibility of Ukraine's "deeper" co-operation with Nato and the United States.
It will also map out new areas of common concern, from the war on terrorism and the combating of proliferation to deeper co-operation in making safe stocks of nuclear, chemical and biological arms and the integration of Russia into the global economy.The same new agenda was also behind the American-led decision to set up a new NATO-Russia council.
"I am hopeful that today's exchange between the two leaders will enable them to engage in deeper co-operation on this and a range of other challenges and opportunities". The US has been deeply concerned about the deterioration in relations between its two key allies in the region since the flotilla debacle.
