Merkel says EU constitution issue must be resolved by 2009 UPDATE |
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Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:54
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(adds comments from spokesman for Blair)STRASBOURG (AFX) - Failure to make progress on solving the problem of an EU constitution by 2009 would be a 'historic mistake', German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned European parliamentarians.'It is in the interests of Europe, its member states and its citizens, to bring this process to a successful conclusion by the next European Parliament elections in early 2009,' Merkel said in her first address to the European Parliament since assuming the EU presidency this month.'The rules that we have today are such that with them, the European Union cannot enlarge further and indeed struggle to function as it is. We need to overcome this situation and... we need clear delineation of the functions of Europe and the member states,' she said.Merkel said the plan to move the constitution forward would be in place by the end of Germany's presidency at the end of June.In London, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair gave a guarded response to Merkel's remarks and refused to comment on whether the UK would hold a referendum on the stalled treaty if it was revived.'I think let us take this step by step and obviously the first step is to try and reach a consensus on the way forward, but that has to bear in mind the positions not just of the presidency, but also of the positions on the ground in France and Holland above all,' he said.French and Dutch voters both rejected the draft constitution in referendums two years ago.newsdesk@afxnews.comafp/jsa/fp/cmlCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2006. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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Merkel says EU constitution issue must be resolved by 2009 