Divisions on Iraq threaten plans for European foreign policy

POLITICIANS drawing up a draft constitution for Europe yesterday admitted divisions over Iraq have dealt a major blow to plans for a common foreign policy.

The Convention on the Future of Europe has been meeting in Brussels for just over a year, and was due to present its draft constitution to EU leaders next June.

However, the Convention's president, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, said disarray over Iraq could mean that its work will not be completed until September.

Fianna Fáil TD Pat Carey, an Irish Government representative at the convention, said plans for a common foreign policy, a key element of the draft constitution, now hang in the balance.

"It's going to make it more difficult to secure a common foreign and security policy there are major differences in the approach of member states," he said.

He said France and Germany had tried to "hijack" the foreign policy proposals, but Ireland was among a group of 10 smaller members states projecting another way forward.

However, developments are further complicated now that Britain and Spain have expressed their unreserved support for the US-led war on Iraq.

As part of a bid to heal divisions within the EU, Mr d'Estaing is embarking on a tour of European capitals and will meet with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin tomorrow.

Developments at the convention have been monitored by the Forum On Europe, a group established following the defeat of the first Nice Treaty vote in a bid to allow greater debate of European issues in Ireland.

Senator Maurice Hayes, chairman of the forum, said the group would continue to tour the country to provide a medium for the debate of ideas discussed at the forum.

"In the current international climate it is difficult to predict what the pace of development at the convention will be," Mr Hayes said.

"Nonetheless, most forum members indicate support for continuing to monitor and contribute to the debate at the convention and some would support the idea that the forum continue its work when member governments begin negotiations on a treaty."

The forum yesterday published a report which indicated it proved to be a useful and non-biased source of information for voters. Almost two in three voters were aware of the forum, while voters said its work did not make them more likely to vote Yes or No.

"This in is line with our non-advocacy stance and bears out our role in trying to ensure a neutral space for debate in a participative democracy," Mr Hayes said.