If Ireland turned down the Nice Treaty a second time, it would be remembered in Europe for years - "for decades even" - the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Dr Janez Drnovsek, has said.
"We see this as a historical process, rejoining Europe. The central and east European countries have been divided from western Europe for decades, because of known reasons. Now we have been fighting for the last 10 or 12 years to become members."
He had been head of government in Slovenia, formerly part of Yugoslavia, since 1992 and EU membership was "the main issue" for all that time. Dr Drnosvek was speaking to The Irish Times during a two-day visit to Dublin where he opened the new Slovenian Embassy in Nassau Street and met the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
Asked how another Irish "No" would be received, he said: "Probably it would be remembered for years in Europe and I should say for decades even."
In the course of an interview in English, he said the "main reason" for his visit was probably the Nice referendum. "This referendum is extremely important."
He was certain another Irish "No" would mean a delay in EU enlargement. "Nobody knows if there is a kind of alternative approach.
"Informally we have inferred that they seek for some solution but nobody can explain what it would be. So there is no alternative or some formal way for us to accede, if the Treaty of Nice is not ratified."
Slovenia had to incorporate "hundreds of major laws and rules" of the EU into domestic legislation. "The government and the parliament have been working intensively for years," he said.
They were at the end of this long-drawn-out process: "You can imagine how it would be accepted in our country if we considered one country will now block this process and our accession will be delayed.
"Somehow it is difficult to understand because, if the Irish people would know all the facts of our situation, I cannot imagine that they would vote No."
He was, of course, aware that Ireland joined through an individual accession treaty on what he regards as more favourable terms.
"Yes, I would prefer to join like you. You had better treatment than we have, much better, and you made a better deal, you got much more money from the EU than we will. This is a matter of fact. We have difficulties to explain this to our people, because now the conditions that we have in negotiations are worse than Ireland has.
"But you see, without the Treaty of Nice there is no institutional basis to accept the candidate countries."
The "egoism or selfishness" displayed by existing member-states had shown that the EU was "not such an ideal place" as initially believed, Dr Drnosvek said.