“Europe would be stronger with a strong British contribution,” said Giscard.

When an audience member asked him to comment on the debate about whether Christianity should be mentioned in the constitution, Giscard defended the decision to exclude mentions of a specific religion.

“In our text we are neutral about religion. That is the European tradition,” he said. “We propose freedom of choice.”

When asked about the future of the E.U.’s expansion, Giscard seemed confident that Bulgaria and Romania would be joining the E.U. in the foreseeable future. As for Russia, Giscard said he envisions perhaps not membership but “special status.”

He pointed out that Mexico has no intention of joining the U.S., but that the two countries do have special arrangements.

“We must be very open to new and creative arrangements with our many and important neighbors,” he said.