Brussels, 26/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - The UK Liberal Andrew Duff, one of the three MEPs representing the EP at the intergovernmental conference (IGC) on the new treaty of the EU, hopes that the issue of the division of seats of the members of the European Parliament on the basis of nationality will not arise at the informal Lisbon summit (18-19 October). “We are not going to start haggling over seats at four o'clock in the morning at Lisbon” as was the case in Nice, he said. This issue is not scheduled for discussion at the informal summit, which will put the finishing touches to the future treaty, as the Portuguese presidency has indicated its intention of going along with the opinion of the European Parliament, as long as this is returned by a large majority. Mr Duff was in Strasbourg, answering a question put by a journalist on an amendment by Ingo Friedrich (EPP-ED, Germany), ahead of next week's vote on the draft “Lamassoure/Severin” report in the Parliamentary committee on constitutional affairs (see EUROPE 9509). This amendment aims to grant the most populated member states a higher number of MEPs than provided for by the rapporteurs (see EUROPE 9496, 9499). Erring on the side of caution, Elmar Brok (EPP-ED, Germany), who was also representing the EP at the IGC, hoped that the “interesting negotiations underway” at the EP will help to “reach a balance which is acceptable” to all the delegations. (mb)