EU treaty unlikely to mention Christianity

EU: The EU's new constitutional treaty is unlikely to refer specifically to Christianity, the Taoiseach said yesterday.

Speaking in Brussels after a meeting with the Belgian prime minister, Mr Guy Verhofstadt, Mr Ahern said that a number of countries had fundamental difficulties with a specific reference to Christianity, which would conflict with their national constitutions.

The draft preamble to the constitution currently refers to "the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe" and Article 51 says that the Union respects the national status of churches in the member-states and will maintain a dialogue with the churches.

Mr Ahern said that, despite calls for a reference to Christianity from a number of mainly Roman Catholic member-states, the text of the constitution was unlikely to be changed.

"At the moment, I don't see any change in that position," he said.

The Taoiseach repeated that the treaty had only a 50/50 chance of being agreed at this month's summit in Brussels, adding that many issues remain unresolved.

"There are a number of sensitive issues that almost every colleague has. Every one of these issues is important to the one who gives it to me. While we've put forward solutions to some of these, I wouldn't say they are agreed," he said.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Ahern discussed the treaty with Britain's Mr Tony Blair in London and the Dutch prime minister, Mr Jan-Peter Balkenende, in The Hague.

Mr Blair repeated Britain's determination to defend the national veto on all tax and social security issues and on some areas of Justice and Home Affairs.

The Taoiseach's tour of capitals, which ends in Luxembourg, Berlin and Copenhagen today, has also given him an opportunity to sound out colleagues on the choice of a successor to Mr Romano Prodi as Commission president.

Mr Verhofstadt is regarded as a favourite for the job but he was coy yesterday, insisting that he was happy in his present post.

"I am not looking for a job. I have a very interesting job as prime minister of Belgium," he said.

Mr Ahern refused to be drawn on the race to succeed Mr Prodi, praising all the candidates under consideration.

"I think they're all wonderful. I think they're all brilliant," he said.