Sarkozy to listen to Irish no voters
President arrives today to hear Irish concerns over the EU treaty which was rejected by a national referendum.
President Sarkozy’s visit to Ireland is not to teach lessons or to push for a second vote but to listen, according to foreign minister Bernard Kouchner.
Kouchner angered politicians and voters in Ireland following the vote when he stated that Ireland would pay a high price for rejecting the Lisbon Treaty which reforms the running of the EU.
"The aim of the trip is to listen to the Irish," said Bernard Kouchner who added: "The intention is not to teach them any lessons" nor to "convince them to vote again."
As France holds the presidency of the EU, Sarkozy has set a deadline of the end of this year to overcome the impasse – the treaty must be ratified by all member states.
The president has also upset Irish politicians after comments he made during a private meeting with French lawmakers, stating that the Irish would have to vote again, were leaked.
His aides have stressed this words were taken out of context.
“That is obviously one of the options," said adviser Henri Guaino, but added the president "is not going to Ireland to tell them what to do."
"We will take time to reflect, the Europeans will reflect and then we will make proposals. It is the Irish government which ultimately will decide about what to do," Guaino told France 24 television.
After holding talks with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, Sarkozy will meet with activists from both camps who campaigned in the June 12 referendum in which 53 percent voted 'no'.
No breakthroughs are expected today, with both French and Irish diplomats stressing that Ireland needs time to consider its next move.
Sarkozy’s meeting with campaigners from both sides at the French embassy will be closed to the press, an event scaled back from an initial plan to hold an open discussion hosted by the National Forum for Europe – an Irish body which debates the nation’s participation in the EU.
An expert with the French Institute for International Affairs Philippe Moreau Desfarges said: "At this point, he is more concerned with solving the problem with the other countries that haven't ratified.
"Once all the 26 others have ratified, he can then turn to the Irish and say 'now you're the problem child and you have to go along'."
Aside from Ireland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy and Poland have yet to ratify the treaty.
Photo: Sarkozy
