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France insists treaty ratifications must go on

LUXEMBOURG, June 6 (AFP) – France believes the process of ratifying the EU constitution should continue, despite a British decision to suspend plans for its own vote, France’s Europe minister said Monday.  

Catherine Colonna, a former spokeswoman to President Jacques Chirac who became minister for Europe after France’s crushing rejection of the EU charter, said it was “desirable” that voting should go ahead in other states.  

“This decision by Great Britain .. is not something which changes France’s position,” she said in the sidelines of a meeting of EU Europe ministers in Luxembourg.  

“France’s position, as that of Germany, is that it is desirable that the process of ratification continue out of respect for the 12 countries which have already expressed themselves and also due to the demands of democracy and respect for those who want to do so,” she added.  

She was speaking as British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw confirmed in a statement to the House of Commons in London that his government had suspended plans for a referendum on the EU constitution.

© AFP

Subject: French News