Sayhey
Dec 17, 2003, 12:47 AM
Europe's post-summit wrangling deepened on Tuesday, amid budget threats from richer countries and renewed talk of a two-speed Europe.
Some EU diplomats also attacked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over the collapse of the weekend summit.
They said his negotiating style was so chaotic, the talks might have collapsed even without a voting rights crisis.
The summit ended early when Poland and Spain refused to accept French and German demands to reduce their power.
European Commission President Romano Prodi said the failure of the constitution talks would strengthen the case for different levels of European integration.
He also warned that the EU risked being left "on the sidelines of history" if it did not strike an agreement soon.
"None of us wishes to divide Europe into a premier league and a first division, but we also don't want the whole of Europe to be relegated to the second division," he told the European parliament.
"Some are thinking about a vanguard of pioneering states breaking new ground in terms of greater co-operation and paving the way for a stronger and more closely integrated EU," Mr Prodi said.
"Today we are at one in those dramatic moments. We need to muster our courage and give it thought."
Mr Berlusconi, who defended his handling of the summit, insisted that no one else in his shoes would have managed to clinch a deal either.
EU leaders had settled the vast majority of outstanding issues at the summit, he added.
And he did not subcribe to the letter of the six rich EU countries that have asked for a freeze on the EU budget, the Italian leader said.
Letter row
"We are not among the countries that believe the EU budget should be cut, although Italy is the third net contributor to it and so bears more than others the weight of these expenses," he said.
The six countries - Germany, France, Britain, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands - want the EU budget to be frozen at its current level of 1 % of the EU's GDP or some 100 billion euros. Such a move could hit Poland and Spain - soon after their refusal to give ground in the voting rights row.
Amid official denials that the two issues were being linked, observers saw the letter as political retaliation.
Mr Prodi publicly warned that linking the constitution to budget talks would be dangerous.
Mr Berlusconi, speaking in the European Parliament as Italy's six-month presidency of the EU draws to a close, rejected the idea of a two-speed Europe.
"We should not split Europe into a first division and a second division. It would be a serious mistake," he warned.
"Because this way we would cool the enthusiasm, the passion for Europe that I have seen in the 10 countries that are preparing to join the EU."
Ireland will take over the EU's revolving presidency in January. BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3325685.stm)
Is it just a coincidence that the two countries that have scuttled the latest round of negotiations on a new EU constitution are the same two that have the most to gain from their support of US efforts in Iraq? Perhaps it is my paranoia, but I would not be surprised if the Bush administration gave assurances of support if Poland and Spain stood firm in their insistence of antidemocratic voting methods.
Some EU diplomats also attacked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over the collapse of the weekend summit.
They said his negotiating style was so chaotic, the talks might have collapsed even without a voting rights crisis.
The summit ended early when Poland and Spain refused to accept French and German demands to reduce their power.
European Commission President Romano Prodi said the failure of the constitution talks would strengthen the case for different levels of European integration.
He also warned that the EU risked being left "on the sidelines of history" if it did not strike an agreement soon.
"None of us wishes to divide Europe into a premier league and a first division, but we also don't want the whole of Europe to be relegated to the second division," he told the European parliament.
"Some are thinking about a vanguard of pioneering states breaking new ground in terms of greater co-operation and paving the way for a stronger and more closely integrated EU," Mr Prodi said.
"Today we are at one in those dramatic moments. We need to muster our courage and give it thought."
Mr Berlusconi, who defended his handling of the summit, insisted that no one else in his shoes would have managed to clinch a deal either.
EU leaders had settled the vast majority of outstanding issues at the summit, he added.
And he did not subcribe to the letter of the six rich EU countries that have asked for a freeze on the EU budget, the Italian leader said.
Letter row
"We are not among the countries that believe the EU budget should be cut, although Italy is the third net contributor to it and so bears more than others the weight of these expenses," he said.
The six countries - Germany, France, Britain, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands - want the EU budget to be frozen at its current level of 1 % of the EU's GDP or some 100 billion euros. Such a move could hit Poland and Spain - soon after their refusal to give ground in the voting rights row.
Amid official denials that the two issues were being linked, observers saw the letter as political retaliation.
Mr Prodi publicly warned that linking the constitution to budget talks would be dangerous.
Mr Berlusconi, speaking in the European Parliament as Italy's six-month presidency of the EU draws to a close, rejected the idea of a two-speed Europe.
"We should not split Europe into a first division and a second division. It would be a serious mistake," he warned.
"Because this way we would cool the enthusiasm, the passion for Europe that I have seen in the 10 countries that are preparing to join the EU."
Ireland will take over the EU's revolving presidency in January. BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3325685.stm)
Is it just a coincidence that the two countries that have scuttled the latest round of negotiations on a new EU constitution are the same two that have the most to gain from their support of US efforts in Iraq? Perhaps it is my paranoia, but I would not be surprised if the Bush administration gave assurances of support if Poland and Spain stood firm in their insistence of antidemocratic voting methods.
