Brussels, 19/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - European Parliament President Pat Cox said on Thursday that the second Irish referendum on the Nice Treaty to be held on Saturday 19 October would be a "defining" moment for Ireland and for Europe. The Irish President of the Parliament commented: "A second rejection of the Nice Treaty would plunge the European Union's main strategic agenda, that of enlargement, into a period of uncertainty and potential crisis (…) For a generation Ireland has chosen intelligent interdependence rather than isolated independence. In crossing that bridge, we have moved from stagnation to opportunity". Mr. Cox recalled that, before being elected President of the Parliament last January, he had made a commitment to campaign actively in Ireland for a "yes" vote, as citizen and as an Irish elected representative. He then stipulated: "Over the next four weeks I shall therefore be spending as much time as my diary allows campaigning". (See EUROPE of 9/10 December, p.5, for the appeal by the head of the European Movement in Ireland for a referendum to be held at the weekend).