Wolfgang Schaeuble, deputy chairman of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) faction in Bundestag (parliament of Germany), who is in Hong Kong on an invitation from the European Chamber of Commerce, said the EU is in crisis indeed "but this crisis does not mean the end of European integration."
"Fundamental principles, for example, a single European currency, are beyond doubt. I think even the United Kingdom will switch to euro some day," he said.
According to him, the no votes in France and the Netherlands do not mean the people of these countries are against European Integration.
"The outcomes reflect the lack of confidence in truly not efficient and dynamic European bureaucracy," he said.
A politician perceived to be one of the fathers of the Treaty, Schaeuble who has been responsible for the CDU's international contacts and - in the late 1980s - for Germany unification planning added the Europeans had a tendency to often blame the EU for their own internal troubles.
"Some politicians in the 'old Europe' often blame the EU for unemployment and lack of balance on the labor market. However, these problems had been there well before Eastern European nations joined the EU," the German lawmaker said.
"Many Europeans fear the EU will go beyond Europe's borders. I think there should be certain boundaries to stop at," he added, referring to countries like Turkey and Russia, which, in his view, will not fit in among European nations because they are half-Asian.
"Relations with Russia should be built on the same principles as relations with Turkey. Both countries belong to Asia as well as to Europe, and this factor should be kept in mind," he said, "the EU should develop neighborly relations with these countries but not try to integrate them into its own structure."
Ukraine, he believes, should also drop its EU ambitions for the short term.
"A single Europe needs partnership with Ukraine but its accession to the EU is off the table by far," he said.
He dismissed feelings that the EU's raison d'etre was to counter the United States in international politics.
"We want good relationship with all leading powers in international politics," he said.
