Brussels, 26/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - It is "inconceivable that the Member States participating in the EMU could and would leave it. It is legally impossible and politically and economically inconceivable". This was declared by European Commission spokesman Jonathan Faull, in answer to press questions on Friday concerning an interview by Romano Prodi published by the Euro-sceptic weekly The Spectator, in which the Commission president gave the impression that a country which is part of the euro zone could leave it under extreme circumstances. In the interview, Romano Prodi said that the United Kingdom, once it had entered the euro zone, could eventually leave it "under exceptional circumstances and provided this is not done in a way that is hostile to the EU". This was said in response to a "highly hypothetical" question and referring to circumstances that are quite unimaginable, said the spokesman, who recalled that the treaty does not provide for the possibility of withdrawing from the euro zone.
In response to another question, from The Spectator, Mr Prodi said he was not surprised by the low profile maintained by Tony Blair on British accession to single currency. "Public opinion is now too biased. A politician must be aware of what the public thinks. Of course, a leader cannot be content with simply following suit but this does not mean that he must launch into an impossible mission".