Cowen’s trip to shore up Lisbon support

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen visits four European capitals in the next three days in a final bid to win approval for his plan for the Lisbon treaty.

Tension is growing in the lead-up to the EU leaders’ summit next Thursday in Brussels where Mr Cowen is expected to say he will ask Irish citizens to vote a second time on the treaty.

As well as gathering support for a legally binding affirmation of Ireland’s neutrality and absolute control over ethical and taxation matters, he also wants support to ensure every country retains a commissioner.

Mr Cowen will visit Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, in Berlin today. He will call on Luxembourg’s prime minister and chairman of the eurogroup Jean Claude Junker on the way.

Tomorrow, Mr Cowen will travel to London to meet the British prime minister Gordon Brown.

Mr Cowen will meet the French president, Nicholas Sarkozy, in Paris on Friday who, as president of the EU, will chair next week’s summit.