Chirac acht Turks lidmaatschap EU pas op lange termijn wenselijk (en)

French President Jacques Chirac today (29 April) hailed the enlargement of the EU as a "giant step", in which everyone will gain.

In a rare press conference this morning, Mr Chirac said, "With its 450 million inhabitants, the EU must become an economic power of the first rank, in which growth and investment will create a new dynamic for employment. It is a process in which everyone will be a winner".

Turkey entry "not desirable"

Moving to the question of Turkish entry to the EU, Mr Chirac stated that it was "not desirable" now but could be in the future.

"Turkey has made considerable efforts", he said, but Turkish accession "is certainly not desirable in the short term. My conviction is that it is in the long term".

Ducking a referendum

On the other hot topic in European affairs - the debate on whether to hold a referendum on the Constitution - Mr Chirac was evasive.

He said it was "premature" to decide how he would proceed but he did dismiss the idea that a British referendum put more pressure on France to hold a vote, saying, "the British are in a different position".

However, he stressed that he was in favour of an early settlement on the Constitutional treaty, arguing, "This agreement is necessary and possible today".

Pressure continues to mount on Mr Chirac as opinion polls show that most French people are in favour of a referendum and he also faces calls for a vote from the political class.