Sarkozy warned not to dictate over Lisbon

TENSIONS surrounding French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s lightning strike visit to Dublin erupted into the open last night as he was warned not to dare “dictate” to Ireland.

The blunt rebuke from Labour leader Eamon Gilmore came as it emerged Mr Sarkozy will not meet members of the pubic during his four-hour visit on Monday.

“The French president is quite welcome to come to Ireland to talk to whoever he wants to talk to. What he is not welcome to do, however, is to start dictating to us what we should be doing as a country,” said Mr Gilmore.

French diplomats are considering inviting the pro- and anti-treaty campaigns briefly to meet the outspoken president in their embassy in Dublin during the shortened trip.

Members of the various groups that campaigned for a rejection of the Lisbon treaty have accusing the Government of running scared of a public debate with Mr Sarkozy.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is reported to be furious over reports that Mr Sarkozy told French MEPs the Irish should hold a second referendum.

Initially his visit was to last six hours, but yesterday it was down to four with Mr Sarkozy spending about two hours meeting Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Foreign Minister Micheál Martin.

Afterwards he and the Taoiseach will hold a press conference in the courtyard of Government Buildings. A spokesperson said they expected a lot of media interest and were making arrangements to hold the conference outside.

Following this he will be driven to the French Embassy at Ailesbury Road where he is expected to spend less than an hour meeting a number of people who campaigned on the yes and no sides of the referendum.

Mr Sarkozy has said he wanted to come to Ireland to listen and talk with people. There were suggestions he would address a special session of the Forum on Europe, but a Forum spokeswoman said they had not received any request to host a meeting.

“If they would like us to arrange one we would be willing even at this late stage,” she said.

Former Green MEP Patricia McKenna said the Government is in a state of denial over the results of the Lisbon treaty referendum and is determined to suppress the voice of those opposed it. Not organising a session at the Forum raised serious concerns about the Government’s commitment to listen to the people and respect the result of the referendum.

“It also displays a fear of public debate that would allow Mr Sarkozy hear the views of the no side and allow the people hear his reaction to those views.”