THE EU: The Taoiseach has said he is very anxious to make progress towards agreeing a new EU constitutional treaty next year after German and Spanish leaders both said they wanted a deal done in 2004.
While the EU summit failure last week to agree on the Treaty has led to fears of a lengthy political stalemate, the German and Spanish leaders' remarks at the weekend have renewed hopes of progress. The German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schröder, indicated at the weekend he would put pressure on the Government to announce a deadline for agreement during Ireland's EU Presidency which starts on January 1st.
"I expect that the EU constitution will be unanimously agreed in the next year," said Mr Schröder in an interview yesterday, though "not in the first quarter".
Spanish Prime Minister Mr Jose Maria Aznar said in an interview published yesterday that Madrid was open to fresh negotiations. "I hope and believe that an agreement is possible before the end of 2004," Mr Aznar told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. "Spain is open to all ideas, all proposals, including those of a reform of the Nice accords. But if we're told to take it or leave it, then a deal will become difficult," he added.
In the last few days Mr Ahern has arranged a number of meetings with EU Heads of State and Government in January with a view to picking up the pieces after inconclusive Brussels Summit.
The treaty negotiations remain deadlocked over Poland and Spain's refusal to accept a change in voting weights in the European Council - agreed at the Nice Summit - which could reduce their influence. France and Germany are to the fore in demanding change to reflect the relative size of their populations.
Poland came in for particular criticism from Germany over its stance at recent constitution negotiations. Mr Joschka Fischer, the German foreign minister, has advised Poland to "reconsider" its position or else usher in an era of a two-speed Europe.
While the Government is keen to conclude a deal, Government sources say this can only be done in the member states currently adopting intransigent positions show flexibility. A German Government spokesman told The Irish Times at the weekend that "Ireland can rely on Germany that the issue of agreement won't disappear from the top of the order of business. German support will always be there."