Brussels, 03/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - In a speech at Oxford University on 2 February, British prime minister Tony Blair said 'Europe has emerged from its darkened room. It has a new generation of leaders. A new consensus is forming…. I accept we will need to return to issues around the European Constitution. A European Union of 25 cannot function properly with today's rules of governance.' However, he urged Member States to first tackle economic reform, security issues, the need for an EU-wide energy strategy and foreign policy issues. 'Right now, I says: discuss the way forward by all means, but don't let us get drawn back into making this debate (about the constitutional treaty, Ed.) the focus of our activities.' Tony Blair added: 'The dilemma of a British prime minister over Europe is acute to the point of the ridiculous. Basically you have a choice: co-operate in Europe; and you betray Britain: be unreasonable in Europe, be praised back home and be utterly without influence in Europe. It's sort of: isolation or treason.'