If the Czech Republic insists on an opt-out clause from a part of the Lisbon Treaty, Slovakia would be forced to follow suit, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak has told the Maltese Parliament.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus has chosen not to sign the Lisbon Treaty even though it has been passed by both sides of the Czech Chamber.

He is seeking an opt-out clause from the EU Human Rights Charter to protect the Czech people who took over the properties of expelled ethnic Germans after World War II. He fears that through the Lisbon Treaty (to which the EU Human Rights Charter is annexed), Germany could try to get back the land.

Speaking during a Foreign Affairs Committee Meeting on Friday, Mr Lajcak said that if the Czech Republic insisted on this clause, Slovakia would be forced to do the same, opening a "Pandora's box" that would be very difficult to close.

He said Slovakia did not want this to happen but it could not accept to be in an unequal legal position to the Czech Republic, since Fascist-leaning Hungarians were asked to leave Slovakia in a similar way after World War II.

"The moment the Czech Republic is mentioned explicitly, we will have to demand that Slovakia is mentioned as well," he said.

He added that his country was currently communicating with Mr Klaus, whom he described as "not the easiest of people".

"Pressure will not work. The only chance is to talk to him quietly... I really don't know how this is going to end. I cannot guarantee he will sign, which would be a catastrophe for Europe. But he seems to enjoy his position to be the crucial person for Europe," he said.

Mr Lajcak said Slovakia wanted to see the Lisbon Treaty finally ratified so that the EU could start to have a bigger impact on global affairs and not waste its energy on its internal agenda.

He explained that after the war, just as Germans were sent back from the Czech Republic, thousands of Hungarians were sent back to Hungary from Slovakia by the same Benes Decrees.

He believes that the Lisbon Treaty does not grant the power to retroactively give in to those who are claiming property rights from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. But if the Czech President obtained an opt-out policy, Slovakia would need one too.

"We are not happy because of this but we have no choice and I hope you understand that," he told Maltese parliamentarians in the committee.