Brussels, 27/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The two representatives from the European Parliament at the Intergovernmental conference, German Christian Democrat Elmar Brok and the German Social Democrat Klaus Hänsch welcomed in a press statement the "very positive climate" at the informal dinner "making the resumption of the IGC" on 26 January in Brussels by the Irish presidency (EUROPE yesterday p 4). According to the representatives the presidency was able to "inject a spirit of confidence into the discussions, particularly as a result of the bilateral talks of the last few weeks". Although funds were not mentioned all participants declared themselves "willing to do everything in needed to reach a genuine compromise on the remaining issues with a view to adopting the constitution in the shortest possible time". Brok and Hänsch once again highlighted the need for an agreement before the European elections in June and considered that this feeling was "widely supported among the delegations to the meeting". The two MEPs concluded that consultation would continue during the next few weeks to allow the Irish presidency to present the European Council with a comprehensive report as possible in March.
On Monday in Brussels the French minister of foreign affairs Dominique de Villepin warned against another failure which the Union could not afford and declared that if they reached an agreement before the June elections it would be a formidable sign and that they would do everything to achieve this. His German counterpart Joschka Fischer assured him that Berlin would do everything to have a solution before the European elections, whereas Ana Palacio from Spain reiterated that her government was ready to "examine all options and alternatives in a constructive atmosphere". Wlodzimierz Cimoszwics indicated that his country would accept all "rational discussions" and repeated that Warsaw preferred the Nice system for calculating majority voting at the Council. Franco Frattini from Italy insisted on expanding decisions made at qualified majority voting at the Council and alluded to the Council's inability that very day to make a decision on the status of MEPs just because unanimity was demanded. Frattini in a Council fringe meeting with Joschka Fischer reiterated his worries about a possible EU "directory" and invited his German colleague to Rome.