The Hindu : International : E.U. statute is dead, save the requiem

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Friday, Jun 03, 2005

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International

E.U. statute is dead, save the requiem

Nicholas Watt

Britain, Poland and Czech Republic say it is pointless to call more referendums

BRUSSELS: European leaders, who placed their heads in the sand after France's emphatic rejection of the E.U. constitution, are now likely to become experts in the thoughts of Lady Bracknell.

To lose one referendum may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness, as the fierce aunt in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest might have said.

Leaders in ``new'' Europe, who believe it is now impossible to hold referendums in their countries, are hoping the double no from France and the Netherlands will act as a wake up call for ``old'' Europe.

Sceptics happy

To the delight of Eurosceptics, French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder responded to the French no by insisting that the ratification process should continue even after the constitution had been rejected by the founding member of the European project. Britain, Poland and the Czech Republic believe that ``old'' Europe will now realise it is pointless to call for further referendums when the constitution is in such doubt.

Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform, said: ``The treaty has been dead since Sunday night. But maybe more politicians will start to tell the truth and say it is dead. A lot of Governments have been pretending that everything is going to be all right. That is for the birds.''

No leader has so far been willing to deliver the last rites to the constitution because they do not want to be blamed for killing it off. Such sensitivity means that a careful diplomatic dance is likely to be played out.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is determined to cancel the referendum in Britain, will step up the pressure on Mr. Chirac by asking whether he will hold a second vote — the only way of reviving the treaty. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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