Duitsland wil Grondwet in plaats van Europa van meerdere snelheden (en)

German foreign minister Joschka Fischer has unexpectedly backed away from the idea of a core Europe, to supporting European integration based on a new Constitution.

Asked in an interview with the Berliner Zeitung if the idea of a core Europe was passé, Mr Fischer said "Yes, I think so".

He went on say that he did not see France and Germany forging ahead if disagreement over the Constitution continued.

"Varying speeds of integration will appear from one state to the next", said Mr Fischer adding, "We don't want that and that's why it can only be a transitional situation. I believe the pressure will be so great that history itself will push matters in the right direction".

Berlin, along with Paris, has been hanging the sword of Damocles of a core Europe over the rest of the Union since there was a falling out over the EU Constitution.

Talks on the Constitution collapsed last year after member states failed to agree on a proposed new voting system - based on a double majority of population and number of states - strongly backed by Germany.

But the German foreign minister also indicated Berlin's continued support for the new voting system.

"A watering-down in this core area would, however, lead to a bad constitution".

Mr Fischer's words are made all the more significant by the fact that in 2000 he gave a landmark speech at Humboldt university where he first spelt out the need for a two-speed Europe.

The foreign minister said he had changed his views because of the consequences of September 11, and the need for Europe to politically shape globalisation - this is also a reason why he believes that Turkey should be in the European Union.

His comments against a two-speed Europe are set to please the Irish Presidency which is battling to revive talks on the Constitution and which has repeatedly said that it is not clear which direction a core Europe could take.

Defeat for Schröder

Meanwhile, in elections in the state of Hamburg, the Social Democrats (SPD) suffered a big defeat with the Christian Democrats (CDU) winning an overall majority.

The result is being interpreted as a vote of no confidence in German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and the tough reform agenda he is trying to push through.