Brussels, 26/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - The foreign ministers of the twenty member states (the 18 which have already ratified the Constitutional Treaty, plus Portugal and Ireland) who met in Madrid on Friday (see EUROPE 9346 and 9352) did not adopt a formal statement, but sent several “messages” through a press release. They want a “political Europe which will play a key role in this globalised world”, a more effective and efficient, more transparent and more democratic Europe at the service of its citizens, “such as provided for in the Constitutional Treaty”, which came about through “difficult and complex” negotiation, reflecting the “fragile balance between the various political, social, economic and legal interests”. The Union needs effective and democratic institutions like those provided for in the Treaty to implement effective joint policies, ministers stressed. “But an agreement restricted to a few institutional changes is not enough to respond to the expectations of European citizens,” they said. At the same time, the 20 said they were aware that to reach this common objective, “we will have to find an agreement acceptable to all”. “We are prepared to listen in a constructive spirit to the proposals from other member states. We are ready to work together on the basis of the Constitutional Treaty signed in Rome in October 2004 by the governments of all European Union member states, with a view to reaching an agreement which retains its substance and balance,” the press release stated. (hb)