Chris Patten

In a HARDtalk interview on 20th December Stephen Sackur talks to the former EU Commissioner for External Affairs, Lord Patten.

For six decades the United States and the democracies of Europe have forged the most powerful strategic alliance in the world.

But will it always be so? Chris Patten is the British former EU Commissioner for External Affairs.

Does he think that differences over Iraq, counter-terrorism and global warming are creating a permanent transatlantic rift?

Chris Patten talks to Stephen Sackur.

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 04:30 GMT, 0830 GMT, 1130 GMT, 1530 GMT, 1930 GMT, 0030 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30