06-23-2008, 02:19 AM
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 | Pro-Macedonian | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pelagonia
Posts: 5,476
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British conservatives accuse Sarkozy of blackmailing Irish people and all those against Lisbon and enlargement. Quote:
Nicolas Sarkozy is accused of blackmail over EU Treaty
The Conservatives said the French president was "blackmailing" the rest of the EU by claiming that moves to bring more nations into the union - starting with Croatia - would have to be put on hold in the wake of this months No vote on the Treaty in the Irish referendum.
The Treaty, which seeks to abolish dozens of national vetoes, hand new powers to Brussels and create the post of EU president, cannot come into operation until all 27 member states have ratified it.
Britain, which is not holding a public vote, completed its parliamentary process last week. But its formal ratification of the Treaty has been postponed at the request of a High Court judge, who is hearing an application to force a referendum.
The French president, who came up with the idea of the Treaty, a watered-down version of the rejected EU constitution, said: "It is certain that as long as we have not solved the institutional problem, the question of enlargement is stopped de jure or de facto."
Mark Francois, Tory shadow foreign affairs minister, said it was "crystal clear" that enlargement, supported by all three main political parties in Britain, could go ahead without Lisbon coming into force.
Charles Tannock, a Tory Euro-MP and his partys spokesman on foreign affairs in the European Parliament, said: "This is just blackmail on the Irish and everyone else who wants enlargement. He wants to put pressure on the Irish, to make them feel guilty and to push them into a second vote.
"Its complete nonsense. Mr Sarkozy is obviously very angry that the Irish have said 'No."
The Croatian government last week sought assurances from the European Commission and Euro-MPs that its application to join in 2010 would not be affected by the Irish vote.
"This is a classical negotiating ploy by the French, said the Tory Euro-MP Edward McMillan-Scott. "Britain and everyone else should just ignore this threat.
| http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...EU-Treaty.html
Not that I'm against the Treaty but the whole multiple referenda thing is a bit farcicle. Quote:
June 22, 2008
Ireland under Franco-German pressure to hold new EU vote
The Irish government is expected to bow to Franco-German pressure and hold a second referendum to try to rescue the Lisbon treaty that voters rejected this month.
The plan for a possible new vote in Ireland, being discussed by some ministers in Dublin, will be greeted with outrage by opponents of the treaty in Britain.
Irish ministers believe it may be able to rescue the treaty if they can secure concessions from Europe to placate voters on a list of issues.
A yes vote can be achieved if the Irish people are offered guarantees on issues like defence and taxation, said one senior Irish official.
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The no campaign will be picked off one by one. Everyone has a price.
The likely time for a new referendum is next spring so that the treaty can come into force before the June 2009 European election campaign for the Brussels parliament. The date is favoured by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor.
If the Irish vote no again, Gordon Brown would have to choose between siding with Ireland to stop its citizens being turned into second-class Europeans or siding with France and Germany to push ahead with further European Union integration.
Concessions likely to be sought by Ireland include guarantees to protect its neutrality in the event of European armed forces being created, the reinstatement of its right to a European commissioner and the right to set its own abortion laws and corporate tax rates.
Sarkozy is determined to save the EU as France takes over the rotating presidency on July 1.
It is not written down in the summit conclusions but everyone agreed that we need to get out of this before next years European elections, Sarkozy said last week. He said European leaders had already mandated France to ensure the EU does not grind to a halt.
Both Sarkozy and Merkel have exerted subtle pressure on Ireland and its potential allies by threatening the end of the EUs enlargement east if the Lisbon treaty does not come into force.
The French president will visit Ireland on July 11 for talks with Brian Cowen, the taoiseach. We will try to make this no an opportunity, he said, pledging to use English pragmatism to find a solution.
The Irish government has to decide its next move before the next European Council meeting on October 15.
A spring referendum date is seen as crucial by several European leaders, but no strict timeline has been imposed on Ireland to come up with a response to the no vote; and there has been no formal declaration from the European Council that the country has to hold a second referendum.
The council did not impose a timeline or plan B or C upon us, an Irish government official said. That would have left us in a difficult space. Now they await our detailed analysis of where we go from here.
| http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4187792.ece
And the Czechs are having trouble ratifying. Quote: Czechs in blow to Lisbon Treaty
Europe's leaders are grappling with a last-minute hitch in their bid to keep the Lisbon Treaty alive.
The setback came over a summit dinner late on Thursday night, when the Czech Republic objected to proposed summit conclusions responding to Ireland's referendum "No" vote.
Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy hinted that the Irish would need to vote again - and implied that European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson was to blame for the rejection.
The draft final summit declaration, due to be agreed before EU leaders return home, expresses "respect" for the Irish No vote, gives Dublin until October to come up with fresh ideas, and calls on countries to press ahead with their own ratifications.
But during tetchy discussions, the Czech Prime Minister made clear the issue was so sensitive in his own country that any pressure to ratify would tip public opinion against the Treaty.
The talks dragged on two hours longer than expected, with exhausted politicians emerging to admit they would need to continue this morning.
Speaking at a late-night press conference, Mr Sarkozy - already referring to himself as EU Council President despite not officially taking over until July 1 - pointed out that the Union was 27 countries and promised: "I will concentrate all my efforts on ensuring that the European family remains united."
He made clear he thought there should be a second Treaty referendum in Ireland at some stage.
Asked if EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso was responsible for the No vote, Mr Sarkozy took the opportunity for a dig at Mr Mandelson - who has been leading trade negotiations.
He said issues which contributed to the No vote included Irish concerns over euthanasia, abortion and the world trade talks - adding bluntly: "Mandelson."
| http://ukpress.google.com/article/AL...HnMifMuoTIbUBg
A British (the Times) commentary on the rejection: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4188278.ece
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