Taoiseach sets firm agenda for EU summit

THE informal EU summit in Dublin on Saturday should commit the Union to concluding key changes in its treaty by next June, according to the Taoiseach.

The summit has been called to stimulate discussions in the treaty changing Inter Governmental Conference, and Mr Bruton says it should be used to review progress.

It should also confirm the importance of the timetable we have set, and make it clear that we intend to bring the work of the conference to a successful conclusion at our meeting in Amsterdam in June 1997".

Mr Bruton set out his proposed agenda for the meeting in a letter to his fellow EU leaders yesterday, but he played down suggestions the summit would take any hard decisions.

Finishing the work of the conference by next June will require adhering to the aim, set at Florence last June, of producing a general outline for a draft revision of the treaty by December. In his letter, Mr Bruton was confident that the work so far was "reasonably well on course".

His letter may be seen as an implied rebuke to Mr Wim Kok, the Dutch Prime Minister, who recently suggested the conference would not conclude until after Amsterdam but during the subsequent Luxembourg presidency.

With much of the conference work still at the stage of detailed preparation at official level, the leaders will be able to give only the broadest of political thrust to the talks.

Leaders and foreign ministers will hear a report from Mr Bruton on the priorities of the Irish presidency and then start their discussions on the Inter Governmental Conference. The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, will report on the conference's work.

Reports are expected from Mr Bruton on his visit to Japan, from Chancellor Kohl on his visit to Russia, and from President Chirac on Poland. They are expected to leave Dublin at around 9.30 p.m.