22 July 2008

DUBLIN - French President Nicolas Sarkozy insisted Monday the EU will not force Ireland to vote again after its shock rejection of the bloc's new treaty, as he faced protests in Dublin.

But Sarkozy - whose country took over the European Union's rotating six-month presidency this month - said repeatedly that some kind of solution must be found before next June, when EU elections are scheduled.

"I never said that Ireland had to organise a second referendum," he told reporters after talks in Dublin clouded by anger at reported remarks by him last week. "We do not want to impose anything," he added.

"I did not in any way meddle in Irish domestic affairs," he added at a joint news conference with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen.

The French leader sparked anger last week by reportedly suggesting that Ireland should vote again after its crushing rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in a 12 June referendum.

Up to 1,800 demonstrators, including both pro- and anti-treaty campaigners, staged rallies outside the Irish government offices.

"We want Mr Sarkozy to respect the Irish vote and see that 'no' means 'no'.
We don't want to be bullied into another referendum," Sinead Kennedy, from the Campaign Against the European Constitution (CEUAC), told AFP.

But in a joint statement after the talks, Sarkozy's Elysee Palace presidential office sought to downplay any tensions - while also clearly signalling his view that the treaty is not dead, as its critics claim.

"The president confirmed that he respected the outcome of the Irish referendum, but welcomed the fact the ratification process is continuing in other (EU) states and expressed his commitment to the Lisbon Treaty," it said.

Cowen said Dublin was in a process of "analysis and consultation which we hope will lead us to a better understanding of the concerns underpinning the outcome of the referendum."

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