EU summit to brainstorm over reform treaty

By Zhang Bihong

BRUSSELS, June 19 (Chinese media) -- The two-day European

Union summit starting here later Thursday is sure to brainstorm over solutions

to save the Lisbon Treaty that was recently rejected in the Irish referendum,

but observers here believe no "fast-fix" can be made.

The summit ought to be dominated by

soaring oil and food prices if the Irish people endorsed the reform treaty, a

revised version of the aborted EU Constitutional treaty, in their June 12

referendum.

The unfortunate result in Ireland, the only nation

putting the treaty to referendum, has thrown the 27-bloc into anxiety and

uncertainty as there is not much time left before implementation.

The Irish rejection would almost certainly delay the

entry-into-force of the treaty, which is foreseen by EU leaders on Jan. 1, 2009,

time for new elections of the European Parliament.

The summit is expected to convey such a message that

the treaty, meant to simplify decision-making procedures and streamline

organizations of the EU, was not dead and the ratification process should be

continue.

It is a product of hard work and negotiations among

leaders of EU member states, which had made relentless effort to end the

constitutional crisis resulted from the rejection by France and the Netherlands

of the constitutional treaty in 2005.

Furthermore, it has already been ratified by nearly

20 nations, more than two thirds of the number of EU members, and EU leaders and

officials have formed a unified front on the continuation of its ratification

process.

Right after the result of the Irish referendum,

European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso responded that the process

would continue.

"The ratification process is made up of 27 national

processes, 18 member states have already approved the treaty, and the European

Commission believes that the remaining ratifications should continue to take

their course," he said.

Barroso called for joint efforts to tackle the

difficult situation." The European Council meets next week - and that is the

place where joint decisions should be taken on issues that con cernus all," he

said.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, whose country

currently holds the rotating EU presidency, said "we will discuss the situation

and look for ways to move forward" at the summit.

German and French leaders also urged other EU nations

to continue the ratification process despite the Irish rejection.

As a strong signal of support, Britain ratified the

treaty Wednesday night, only one day before the summit to take place in

Brussels.

Also, the heads of state and government will expect

Ireland to evaluate the current situation and come up with a proposal at the

summit.

Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen will explain the reasons

behind his country's rejection of the treaty and what his country will propose.

The meeting provides a platform for discussion and

proposals but can not come up with a final solution.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said it

would be "risky" for EU nations to save the treaty "when we are facing a

blockade."

"We came to an understanding that in order to

understand the (Irish) referendum well, we need to take some time to reflect on

it," Rupel said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday.

"We need to take some time for analysis, for

consultations and for studying this problem."

Though in uncertainty, the EU is reluctant to admit

that it is in crisis again.

"The EU is not in crisis," Rupel said, "I am

convinced that sooner or later these reforms will see the light of day."

Barroso stressed that the Irish "no" vote was not

against the EU as Ireland has benefited a lot from its EU membership.