Rasmussen discusses future of EU with D'Estaing

Former French President Valery Giscard D'Estaing, heading an overhaul of the way the European works, said yesterday enlargement may go ahead even if Ireland rejects a key treaty in a referendum.

The EU wants to wrap up accession talks with up to mainly 10 European countries by the end of the year, but the important Nice Treaty has to be ratified by all 15 member states before new members can join. EU member Ireland has already once rejected the Nice Treaty, which prepares the EU for enlargement from 15 up to 27 nations, and is preparing another ballot to be held some time this year.

Speaking after a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Giscard said a second Irish 'no' to the treaty would leave the bloc in a difficult legal situation.

"But I think we can cope with it," he told a joint news conference. "Enlargement is needed, so we must then take initiatives to be able to form a legal basis for enlargement."

"Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and I have had a very useful and fruitful discussion with particular focus on the cooperation between the Convention and the Danish presidency," Mr Rasmussen told reporters.

"I am looking forward to a good cooperation between the Convention and the presidency on the important question on the future of the EU," he added.

Also participating in the meeting which took place at Marienborg, north of Copenhagen, were Bertel Haarder, Minister for European Affairs, and Rasmussen's personal representative in the Convention, Henning Christophersen.

Giscard was leading a 105-strong Convention on the Future of Europe which is considering how to boost the efficiency of the EU and make sure decision-making does not become too unwieldy when the EU accepts new members in the coming years.

As was the case at the Summit in Seville, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing will participate in the European Council meetings during the Danish presidency. As chairman of the Convention he will report at the meetings on the status of the discussions on the future of the EU.