Nice Yes vote still leaves obstacles ahead on road to EU enlargement

THE European Union, cheered by Ireland's weekend approval of a treaty on EU enlargement, braced for battle yesterday over the costs of admitting the 10, mostly impoverished ex-communist countries waiting to join.

The Nice Treaty was backed by a margin of 63% to 37% in Saturday's referendum, removing a key hurdle to enlargement.

“The Irish vote has removed one stone from the road and has increased expectations that other problems will be solved also,” Denmark's Minister for European Affairs Bertel Haarder said. But the euphoria triggered by the result faded quickly as the EU turned its attention to money matters. “We have quite a task ahead of us. I'm expecting very tough negotiations,” said Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The Irish acceptance of Nice was

reported widely in the World media:

Daily Telegraph: Saturday's vote was truly a victory of the elites over the people. Bertie Ahern was determined to overturn the verdict of the first referendum. He did so by sneakily changing the rules on referendums so as to advantage the Yes campaign, rushing the Bill through all its Dáil readings in a single day, just before the Christmas recess.

Above all, Ireland's experience will have taught [Tony Blair] that, where European integration is concerned, the people's verdict need not be final. No campaigners need to win every time; Yes campaigners need only win once.

New York Times: The outcome was depicted by Irish commentators as a triumph for Ahern after the humiliation of last year's defeat. But the turnout was still lower than had seemed likely when first results emerged from the Dublin area late Saturday. The modest turnout suggested that, after two other major ballots this year, Irish voters were not gripped by questions of Europe's destiny. About 1.44 million people voted, out of an electorate of 2.9 million.

The Guardian: The campaign began in earnest on September 19 and was marked by sometimes ugly exchanges. Justin Barrett, a militant anti-abortionist and leader of the right wing No to Nice group, was exposed as having attended neo-fascist meetings in Germany and Italy.

The Times of Malta: Despite the strong campaign for a No vote, Ireland, which has benefited so much from its EU membership over the years, finally chose to take the right direction and in the words of the country's prime minister, Bertie Ahern, remain at the heart of Europe.

Le Monde: The Irish Yes has opened the way to the enlargement of the EU for 12 new members, 10 in 2004, and the logical and suitable reconciliation of the continent, 50 years after its division. This vote saves Europe from a major crisis and we should welcome it.