The President of the European Parliament has warned the EU against making concessions to Ireland that would distort the substance of the Nice Treaty. Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Ms Nicole Fontaine said that other EU member-states should ratify the treaty as soon as possible.
"Whatever clarifications, particularly with regard to the issue of Irish participation in the European Intervention Force - are made in order to allay the concerns, whether real or unfounded, which led to the No vote, these clarifications must not lure the Union into the shifting sands of compromise arrangements, let alone exit clauses, which would completely distort the substance of the treaty and the mutual undertakings given at Nice," she said.
Ms Fontaine suggested that the low turnout made it difficult to interpret the Irish referendum result but she said it provided an incentive to breathe "fresh air" into representative democracy in Europe.
"If we do not do this, the gap we are already aware of can only get wider and we will have plenty more nasty surprises waiting for us. If anyone thinks this claim needs justifying, they have not understood the message of the Irish referendum result," she said.
The Council of Europe is distinct from the EU and its 43 members include Russia and other formerly communist countries, as well as all 15 EU member states. Founded in 1949, its primary focus is on human rights and cultural issues.
Each member country has one vote on its governing Committee of Ministers and the 301member Parliamentary Assembly is composed of representatives from national parliaments.
Ireland's representatives are Mr Brendan Daly and Mr John Browne of Fianna Fail, Mr Tom Enright of Fine Gael and Labour's Mr Michael D Higgins. Mr Liam Aylward, Mr John Connor, Mr Tony Gregory and Mr Rory Kiely act as substitute representatives.
The assembly this week adopted a resolution requiring Japan and the US to impose a moratorium on executions without delay and to take steps to abolish the death penalty. It said it would question the continuing observer status of Japan and the US with the council should no significant progress be made by January 1st, 2003.
Any state wishing to become a Council of Europe observer state has to be willing to accept the principles of democracy, the rule of law and the enjoyment by everyone within its jurisdiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Canada, Mexico, Japan and the US have been granted observer status during the past 10 years. Only Japan and the US keep the death penalty. The assembly said that a death penalty free zone had existed de facto since 1997 amongst the council's 43 member countries. The acceptance of an immediate moratorium on executions and the abolition of the death penalty have been preconditions for membership since 1994.
The assembly plans to start a debate on the issue with American and Japanese politicians in the coming months when it will tackle those who are opposed to a death penalty ban.
