TOWN CLOCK

MANY thanks to the men who have done such a good job on Darlington town clock and have finished on time.

The clock has been a great miss to the people of the town. I do not know of another city, or town, in England which has such a wonderful clock for a landmark (except Big Ben). - Name and address supplied.

RAPID REACTION FORCE

MUCH misleading information has been published about the proposed European Rapid Reaction Force. Your editorial (Echo, Nov 23) provided a sensible contribution to the debate.

It has been made crystal clear that this new force is welcomed by the American government and is no threat to Nato.

It will give the EU a capability to act if Nato (and particularly the US) doesn't want to, but will almost certainly use the Nato planning structure. It will demonstrate to the Americans that the Europeans are prepared to shoulder most of the burden of defending themselves and their interests than they have in the past.

In this region we have a stake in this force. As well as troops from Catterick and aeroplanes from Leeming being temporarily attatched to it, the new ships to be built at Swan Hunter and Cammell Laird are likely to have a vital part to play in its ability to deploy.

It is also worth noting that while British troops have never been deployed to protect a member of Nato from attack (the primary purpose of the Nato treaty), they have frequently been used in UN operations. At such times they have worn blue berets, been under the UN flag and commanded by foreigners, things which opponents of the new force seem to think are some kind of betrayal of this country. - Robin Ashby, Director, Defence Forum, Newcastle.

WHEN Tony Blair hands control of a sizeable chunk of our Army over to Europe, I wonder what he will get in return?

Surely, the handing over of the most effective and best-trained force on the planet is worth a thing or two at the negotiating table?

Perhaps the Prime Minister will share his insight with us? Is this the price of his future role as president non-elect of a future United States of Europe?

Oh, and by the way, calling the new European Army a rapid reaction force is a complete nonsense. Remember the Gulf War? Remember when the Belgians wouldn't supply us with ammunition? The Germans washed their hands of the situation. The French, bless their cotton socks, sent along a few conscripts and the Italians made pizza.

Any army under the control of a committee of European bureaucrats will make decisions about as rapidly as a donkey stuck between two bags of carrots. - Aidan Ruff, Ellingham, Northumberland.

TONY Blair describes the role of the EU Rapid Reaction Force as having humanitarian, peacekeeping and peace enforcement tasks.

President Jacques Chirac describes it as "fundamentally a political project".

In theory, we can veto any operation. Considering the harm done to Britain by the Brussels parliament, while we were supposedly free to use our veto, this does not reassure me. The fishing, coal, agriculture and steel industries were all abandoned or starved of fair subsidies through secret agreement.

Defining what is in Britain's interests seems to depend at the moment on the opinion of one man, not over endowed with humility.

It would have been nice if "our" President had taken time to clarify matters to us, his British subjects, explaining why our taxes, not to mention the men and women of our armed forces are to be used in this way. We're neither owed an explanation, it seems, let alone consultation via our parliament.

The people of Europe pay the salaries and for the projects of the European Parliament yet we are being dictated to like children. - Charlotte Bull, Darlington.

CLEAN DIESEL

I WENT to fill my car this morning only to find that city diesel is now 6p a litre (27p a gallon) dearer than unleaded petrol.

If you take into account Gordon Brown's pre-Budget statement that the tax on "clean" diesel has already been reduced in a previous Budget by 3p per litre, then the differential between unleaded and clean diesel is now a staggering 9p per litre or 44p per gallon. No wonder diesel users complain.

Is it not time that the petroleum industry comes clean and admits that it is deliberately "fuelling" the anger of diesel users? - GW Blenkinsopp, Bishop Auckland.

EUROPE

ATTENTION has been drawn to the looming pensions crisis in Euro countries (HAS, Nov 22).

The Euro-sceptics claim that we would have to subsidise them if we were to adopt the euro. This is just another Euromyth.

European countries know they have a problem, which is why, for instance, Germany is about to raise the level of contributions from 19.3 per cent to 22 per cent, and to reduce benefits from 70 per cent of average gross earnings to 64 per cent.

It is also introducing measures to persuade workers to put extra money into private pension funds.

None of this sounds like the Germans pushing the begging bowl in our direction. There's plenty to debate about the future of Britain in Europe without opponents making things up. - Nick Milligan, North-East in Europe, Newcastle.

OLD SOLDIERS

Did you serve in the Far East during the period from 1939 to the hand over of Hong Kong in 1997? If the answer is yes and you are interested in joining our rapidly growing Far East Veterans' Association, please contact me at the address below.

The association is open to all ex-service personnel and their families, Merchant Navy and all supporting civilians. Present branches are at Exeter (HQ), Bedford, Luton, Manchester, South Essex and Wigan. - John Baister, 93 Westmorland Avenue, Luton, Beds, LU3 2PS. Tel/fax (01582) 651770.