Cowen optimistic on Lisbon changes

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen said he was more optimistic of finding a way forward in the Lisbon treaty argument following his meeting with the current president of the EU, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Mr Cowen appeared confident that fellow EU leaders will give him the time and conditions he needs to allow him to put the Lisbon treaty to the Irish people a second time.

On the final leg of his shuttle tour of EU capitals in Paris and Brussels yesterday, he got the vital support of the French president Nicolas Sarkozy.