Brussels, 17/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group in the European Parliament, announced at a Federal Trust conference in London that he would be "urging European Liberal Democrats to back proposals for a clause in the new constitutional treaty which would allow an existing or future Member State to withdraw from the European Union". Such a clause is included in the draft constitution published by Andrew Duff MEP, President of the Liberal grouping on the European Convention (see Europe of 13 September, p.6). Watson explained: "The creation of such a secession clause would challenge those sceptics in the UK who believe that a country can be half in the European Union, which is like saying that a woman can be half pregnant, to show their colours in making a choice between full participation in the European Union or withdrawal. A secession clause could also help us to make the case for enlargement of the EU in some of the applicant countries, where opinion polls show increasing fears about joining."