Fallout from Madrid bombings shifts Ahern’s EU focus

Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill reports from Madrid as security and terrorism have now become the priority concern for EU leaders.

The Madrid bombings and the election of a Socialist government in Spain dramatically alters the political landscape for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at the helm of Ireland's EU presidency.

Suddenly, agreement on a new constitution for Europe becomes much more possible with Spain's new prime minister, Jose-Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, saying he hopes to speed up the finalising of the document.

The Poles and the Germans have already signalled their readiness to compromise on the row over voting rights under the new constitution.

It all hinges on the French: today's meeting between President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is critical, but no deal will be certain until Mr Chirac meets Mr Ahern in Paris next Monday.

Mr Ahern will want to have an agreed compromise in his back pocket before informing EU leaders a deal on the constitution is possible when they meet in Brussels on March 25 and 26.

However, the constitutional rumble is likely to pale into insignificance in the aftermath of the train bombings in Madrid, especially as the evidence increasingly ties the attacks to Muslim extremists linked to al-Qaida.

Next week's spring summit was set to focus on the EU economy but this now looks like being moved into the background as EU leaders would prefer to focus on security and terrorism.

Mr Ahern has already said he will bring forward the Union's review of its security policy agreed in the aftermath of September 11. It was not due to be reviewed until June.

However, Mr Ahern is under increasing pressure from EU colleagues to do more, and to be seen to do more. German Foreign Minister Otto Schilly raised the full implications of the bombings for Europe when he referred to the arrival of Muslim extremism to Western capitals.

He was supported by French counterpart Dominique de Villepin, while Commission President Romano Prodi bluntly stated the attack "forces European countries to come up with a joint action plan".

Europe's prime ministers will be anxious to respond with a show of strength and come up with a plan of action to show their electorate they are capable of responding and send out a signal of strength to terrorists.

Coming up with a new idea is not always easy but there are a number on the sidelines that can be dusted down.

One is for a Europe-wide intelligence agency similar to the CIA in the US. The idea for a Europe-wide intelligence agency similar to the CIA, in the US, floated by both Austria and by EU security and foreign policy chief Javier Solano just a few weeks ago, was given a firm thumbs down by Foreign Ministers.

But it was dusted down at the weekend by Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt and is likely to get a better reception from Justice Ministers who will meet in emergency session in Brussels on Friday.

Those favouring such an idea can point to the failure of the Spanish security force to identify the danger in their midst. One of the three Moroccans arrested in Madrid in connection with the bombings was being watched by police because of his links to an al-Qaida member jailed in Spain for his role in planning the September 11 attacks in the US.

After the Christmas Eve discovery of a van full of explosives believed to have been destined for Madrid's other main railway station, many are asking why security was not more focused on the railways as a result.

Last summer, Spain had been put on notice that it was seen as a target for extremists when a Spanish cultural centre in Casablanca was bombed.

Moroccan police have been working with Spanish security authorities to identify those responsible on the basis that they had al-Qaida links.

A videotape claiming responsibility for the atrocity cited Spain's links to the Iraq war as the motive for the Madrid bombings. London, Lisbon and Rome will be feeling vulnerable, as will Warsaw, for the role they played in the invasion. Italy, France, Britain, Germany and Poland have already announced tighter security precautions and more police or army working in and around train stations and airports.

Any country holding elections will no doubt be concerned also. Luxembourg is the next EU country to go to the polls poles to elect a national government, while citizens from the 25 EU states will elect members to the European Parliament in June.

There is also the spectre of attacks on Athens during the Olympics especially following yesterday's foiled bomb attack in the Greek capital.

The atmosphere at next week's summit will also be changed somewhat by the shift in alliances caused by the defeat of the Aznar government in Spain Aznar was a firm supporter of Britain's Tony Blair and the US.

The new Spanish leader, Mr Zapatero, has already signalled he will return his country to its previous alliances with Germany and France.

"Europe must return to seeing us as an amiable country, a country which is pro-European, a country that does not divide, not between old Europe nor new Europe," Mr Zapatero said yesterday.

This shift is bound to leave Mr Blair feeling a little isolated.