British move puts kibosh on treaty

THE British Government’s decision yesterday to put their European constitution referendum on ice pits them against France and Germany as they demand that the ratification process must continue.

Ireland is officially continuing preparations for its referendum but unofficially, the Government is ready to shelve the vote.

“We are pressing ahead with our vote, though something may emerge from the summit in Brussels next week,” said a government spokesperson.

The fate of the constitution, agreed by all 25 governments just a year ago during Ireland’s presidency, will be decided by EU leaders at next week’s summit in Brussels.

But the No vote in France and the Netherlands and yesterday’s announcement by the British effectively kills the charter that needed all member states’ agreement to bring it into effect.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw ended week-long speculation when he told the House of Commons that the vote on the constitution would be shelved.

“We reserve completely the right to bring back the bill providing for a UK referendum should circumstances change. But we see no point in proceeding at this moment.”

The British announcement is a virtual veto on the constitution negotiated mostly by elected deputies from member state parliaments over two years.

The British move is contrary to the stance taken by the Franco-German axis at the weekend when French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said ratification process must continue.

French European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna said at an EU meeting in Luxembourg yesterday: “This is a question of democracy. It is not for one member of the EU to decide for the others or to block the process of ratification of a treaty signed by 25 countries.”

This view is held by many of the other countries including Poland whose deputy Foreign Minister, Jan Truszczynski, said that even though the constitution was politically dead, ratification must continue.

Meanwhile, the crisis in the EU continued to depress the value of the euro against the dollar on international markets yesterday.