Woordenstrijd op EU-top: Parijs en Den Haag willen alleen in verleden tijd spreken over Europese "grondwet" (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU leaders may this evening agree on a 2007-2009 timeframe for breaking the union's institutional deadlock - but they face tough discussions over how to deal with words like "constitution" in the summit conclusions.

At the dinner, starting at 19.30 Brussels time, Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, who currently holds the EU presidency, is set to push for an ambitious roadmap to revive at least parts of the EU constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters one year ago.

He told reporters this morning that the German presidency in the first half of 2007 should be mandated to make a "new attempt" to find a solution, adding that "at the latest in the second half of 2008" it should be clear what kind of solution this will be.

Foreign ministers meeting in Vienna late last month already informally agreed to extend the bloc's "reflection period" on the constitution by one year, and agreed 2009 should be the deadline for a fresh institutional consensus.

Diplomats said Friday's summit conclusions, which will be hammered out by Austrian diplomats overnight, are likely to name the 2007 German presidency and France's presidency in the second half of 2008 as key points of reference.

But Luxembourg's prime minister Jean Claude Juncker sounded less upbeat before the meeting saying "I don't know whether we will find a date [on] the final elements of the constitutional treaty."

Much more controversial than any roadmap is the wording in the summit conclusions referring to the substance of a future treaty deal.

States like France and the Netherlands want to see words like "constitution" and "ratification" only when "referring to the past," diplomats said.

But champions of the EU constitution, such as Germany and Belgium, are set to push for language committing states which have not ratified the charter to do so soon, increasing the pressure on The Hague and Paris in future re-negotiations on a new treaty.

A re-negotiation is increasingly seen as inevitable, with Portuguese leader Jose Socrates indicating "the present text of the constitution must be the base for future negotiations."

Speaking at a socialist party leaders meeting ahead of the summit, Mr Socrates said "I think I am right when I say that Mr Blair, Mr Zapatero and Mr Persson all signed the constitutional treaty."

After the wrangling over the constitution, leaders are devote the rest of their meal to the equally sensitive topic of EU enlargement.

Monday's foreign ministers gathering in Luxembourg saw at least half of delegations strongly opposing draft summit conclusions submitted by the Austrian presidency, highlighting the union's "absorption capacity."

The draft mentions "absorption capacity" - the EU's own readiness to welcome further new members - as a "criterion" for further expansion of the bloc.

It also stresses the importance of "the perception of public opinion within the union" on enlargement, language supported by France and the Netherlands, which see enlargement as a key reason why voters rejected the EU constitution last year.

But the UK and new member states fear "absorption capacity" is a tool to shut the door to further enlargement, with one source predicting tonight's dinner debate will be "emotional."