EU CONVENTION: The Convention on the Future of Europe has ended with a final display of soaring rhetoric. Its president, Mr Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, closed the last session after a number of last-minute changes to the draft constitution, including provisions for an official EU flag, anthem, holiday and slogan.
"In one's life, one is, if one is lucky, permitted once or twice to make a difference, to touch the hem of history. Together we have had that chance. Together we have taken it. We should all be proud of that," he said.
If the draft constitution is approved by EU leaders in an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) starting later this year, the blue flag with 12 gold stars will become the official emblem of the EU. Beethoven's Ode to Joy will be the EU anthem, the euro will be the official currency and May 9th will be Europe Day, to be celebrated throughout the Union. The convention has also agreed on a slogan for the EU - "Unity in Diversity".
The Government's representative, Mr Dick Roche, welcomed the draft constitution as "a significant step forward". He said the Government wanted to improve parts of the text during the IGC but that there was nothing in the text that violated the Government's "red lines" or non-negotiable principles.
The convention's final sessions resolved a number of problems for member-states and political groups, including the dropping of the controversial Euratom treaty from the constitution. Germany won its battle to retain a veto on policies affecting immigrants entering the workforce and France has won an assurance that its cherished "cultural exception" is safe.
Most members of the convention welcomed the changes but the Finnish representative, Ms Teija Tiilikainen, complained that the last three sessions had been hijacked by France, Germany and the Greens to push their own political agendas.
"This was a very unpleasant way to finish the convention because new political issues were all of a sudden brought to the agenda," she said. The Danish MEP, Mr Jens-Peter Bonde, spoke for a minority within the convention that is unhappy with the draft, which he denounced as elitist. "Congratulations on the new superstate. The major winners will be those in this convention who represent Brussels and not those who represent the electorates," he said.
Mr Giscard, who surprised his critics by charming, cajoling and bullying the convention's 105 members into agreeing a constitutional text, was at his most expansive yesterday. He thanked the members of the convention, singling out his two vice-presidents, Mr Giuliano Amato and Mr Jean-Luc Dehaene.
But he saved his final words for Wu Kei, a green tortoise with a dragon's head that Mr Giscard has placed on his desk during each convention session. The tortoise is believed to have helped the first Chinese emperor to tame the Yellow River more than 4,000 years ago and has long been a symbol of longevity, patience and stability. "The last person I wish to thank is my tortoise Wu Kei. She has followed - or led - our trip. When we were in the middle of the stream, she guided us, as she did for the first Chinese emperor, until we reached the river's banks. And I expect, as many of you probably believe, that, since the beginning, she knew where she wanted to go," he said.
Mr Giscard then produced a few lettuce leaves and fed them to the ornamental tortoise. The tortoise said nothing.