Brussels, 22/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - The entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon (which the British Conservatives would put a stop to with a referendum if they were to get into power in time) would worsen the "centralisation of power" in the European institutions to the detriment of the Member States and would create institutional problems which would prevent the EU from playing a key role at a global level, said the Tories' spokesperson for foreign policy, William Hague, in a speech before the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London on 21 July (his speech is available at http://www.iiss.org ). "We see that Treaty as leading to institutional conflict within the EU, for instance between the President and the High Representative for Foreign Policy, and the loss of democratic decision-making in the nation states". "Institutional centralisation will not supply, and is even displacement activity for, what Europe really needs to develop in world affairs, which is the political will to use its collective weight effectively and a focus on practical results", said Mr Hague, who has already been mentioned by some as a future Foreign Minister. A British Conservative government would also put the Western Balkans at the very top of the list of EU priorities ("a major test of what the EU can accomplish in foreign affairs" and would actively pursue the enlargement policy with the Balkan states and Turkey. The EU would be committing an "immense strategic error" if it turned its back on Turkey, said Mr Hague. (H.B./trans.fl)