21/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - The future Slovenian EU presidency hopes that the United Kingdom will ratify the Lisbon Treaty through parliamentary means in spring 2008 to create a positive atmosphere for the referendum to be held in Ireland in summer or autumn 2008. “I expect that our British friends will have their ratification let's say sometime in the spring, so this will be a very good sign also for our Irish friends, so that they can have a relaxed kind of referendum”, said Dimitrij Rupel, the Slovenian foreign minister who is also the next president-in-office of the EU Council, during his press conference in Brussels on 20 December (EUROPE 9570). If necessary, Mr Rupel is even ready to campaign in favour of the treaty in Ireland, he said. (H.B.)