Malta to defend its 'red lines'

EU leaders started intense talks yesterday night aimed at trying to strike a deal on a reformed treaty to make the EU work better and more efficiently.

Although Malta's position is not expected to stir a controversy, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, leading Malta's negotiations team in Brussels said Malta will 'live with a good compromise, as long as the substance of what has already been achieved in the defunct draft constitutional treaty is retained'.

According to Dr Gonzi, Malta's main 'red lines' are four.

The safeguarding of its sixth MEP as from the next European Election in 2009, an increase of one on the current situation; the same weighting of its voting rights in the Council of Ministers; the definition of Malta as an island state with a capital city based on the main island - which according to the Prime Minister makes a difference where it comes to the allocation of EU funds; and the safeguarding of all the existing sovereign powers that have to do with the problem of illegal migration.

Asked for his opinion on a possible compromise between the 27 member states being reached, Dr Gonzi said that following the first session it was difficult to say. "I think a solution is possible if there is the will of every member states. I am optimistic that at the end of the day we will reach a good deal."

The EU has been trying to solve the issue over the new treaty, named originally as a constitution but which apparently is the first thing to go following this summit, since 2005 when France and the Netherlands rejected the draft treaty during separate referendums.

The German Presidency headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to try to reach a deal on the way forward.

It is proposing that a short intergovernmental conference will be held under the upcoming Portuguese Presidency so that the EU will have a new treaty by mid-2009.

But despite the good intentions, the negotiations are expected to be dominated by wrangling between member states, particularly those who are taking rigid positions such as the UK and Poland.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, attending his last EU summit said it was going to be a very tough negotiation.

"We've laid down four areas where we have to have really significant change and we'll have to see that change. It'll have to be done." On the eve of the summit, Mr Blair said he would not cede national control in four key - foreign policy; the judicial and police system; tax and social security rules; and an EU charter of fundamental rights.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski made no comment as he entered the talks, but Warsaw frequently stressed in the run-up to the summit that Poland was 'willing to die' to defend its corner.

The summit is scheduled to end today although diplomats yesterday night said it might even be prolonged till tomorrow.