Yes vote will strengthen neutrality, says Cowen

VOTING Yes to Nice will give the country’s neutrality its strongest protection-ever, Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen said yesterday.

Referring to the revised constitutional amendment to be voted upon on October 19, Mr Cowen said it would give people the right to vote on any attempt to enter into a common defence arrangement. The Seville

Declaration, signed by all 15 EU member States, spells out clearly that our neutrality is fully protected now and in the future, the minister said.