Luxembourg, 11/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the rejection of the Treaty of Nice by the Irish people (see other article), the General Affairs Council adopted the following conclusions: "While respecting the will of the Irish people (the initial proposal submitted by the Swedish Presidency mentioned "the concerns", the term "will" was inserted at Ireland's request: Ed), Ministers expressed their regret at the outcome of the Irish referendum on the Treaty of Nice. They ruled out any re-negotiation of the text signed in Nice. The ratification process will continue on the basis on this text and in accordance with the timetable set. Ministers took note of the Irish Government's deep and firm commitment to the European Union and the ratification of the Treaty of Nice. "The Fifteen expressed their readiness to contribute in every possible way to help the Irish Government to find a way forward, taking into account the concerns reflected by this result, without reopening the text of the Nice Treaty. They underlined the Union's commitment to enlargement and to sustaining good progress in the accession negotiations".
Referring to a "disappointing outcome for his government", Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowan stressed at a press conference the low level of turnout (34%) for last week's referendum. "I told my colleagues that it did not put into question Ireland's European commitment nor did it mean opposition to enlargement", he said, placing emphasis on the need for his government to "analyze these results". He said he agreed with the need to "respect the timetable for enlargement"
and find a solution without reopening the debate on the text of the Treaty of Nice. We respect the peoples' decision, he added, while feeling that all the motives of the electorate were not linked to the content of the Treaty and that the result is also explained by reasons of internal politics.
In his press conference, on Monday in Luxembourg, Romano Prodi answered several questions on the Treaty of Nice put forward by the Irish, by noting that it is clear that the "no" campaign had mainly covered issues that had nothing to do with the Treaty. The Irish Prime Minister (with whom he spoke on the telephone on Monday) assured me that this rejection "is not a reason for crisis" and that he is "confident" in achieving a ratification in due time, said the Commission President. To the question of knowing if he would consider himself partly responsible for the rejection of the Treaty by Dublin, following the reprimand of Ireland for its budgetary policy, Mr Prodi replied: the Commission must not reproach itself for having done what the fifteen governments asked it to do, rather it would be responsible if it did not do its duty, whether it concerned Ireland, Germany or Italy.