Berlusconi roept lidstaten op tot samenwerking (en)

EUOBSERVER / ROME - Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's flamboyant Prime Minister, opened crucial talks on the draft Constitution with a plea to member states to "seize this exceptional opportunity fully" and allow "that which unites us to prevail over that which distinguishes us".

Speaking at the official opening of the so-called inter-governmental conference (IGC) which will finalise the draft of the Constitution, Mr Berlsuconi also warned member states against "an excessively individualist vision of national interest".

In the run-up to the IGC, several governments, most notably Poland, Spain, Austria and Finland have been loudly declaring their 'no-go' areas and have been asking for some substantial changes in the Treaty.

Other countries - particularly Germany and France - have been calling equally loudly for the balance of the Treaty to be kept.

The Italian Premier also touched upon two other issues close to his heart - Europe's important relationship with the US and his great wish that the final treaty is signed in Rome - replacing the very first Treaty of Rome (1957) that set the whole European integration process going.

"The city of Rome ... was the site of the birth of Europe nearly half a century ago. I fervently hope that Rome wil also play host to the final act of the signing of the new Constitutional Treaty".

His words were followed by a tour de table by his colleagues. However, despite the plea that member states rise above their "individualist position", there are signs that some are not yet ready to do that.

Sources said that Poland, again, made its case for keeping the terms of the Nice Treaty. Under the new Treaty it will be demoted from 'large' to 'small' state in voting weights and, along with Spain who is in a similar position, is heavily opposing the change.

For his part, Pat Cox, the President of the European Parliament, said "how would public opinion react if we were to undo the Convention's work, behind closed doors, and end up with a miserable lowest common denominator"?

Following the exchange of views, a declaration outlining the general aims of the treaty and re-affirming the draft Constitution as a "good basis" for the talks will be published.

After lunch, foreign ministers will get down to the hard work of dealing with tricky issues such as the planned permanent President of the Council, the role of the new foreign minister and other council questions.

These are extremely sensitive questions that go right to the heart of the balance of power among member states themselves - often pitting large member states against small - and between the member states and the EU.