EUROPEAN COMMISSION vice-president Margot Wallstrom has expressed confidence that a resolution will be found over concerns among some member states that Ireland’s demands for legally binding guarantees on the Lisbon Treaty will reopen debate in their countries.
Ms Wallstrom said she was confident that EU lawyers would be able to find a formulation for the legal guarantees which would satisfy Ireland’s requirements on Lisbon while at the same time satisfying other member states concerned that they might have to re-ratify the treaty.
“I think there is a political will to find a solution and conclude our procedures on the new treaty so I hope this is more about giving the lawyers an opportunity to look at texts and solutions and hopefully they will be back soon with something.
“I’m sure it will be resolved – we have to achieve two things – give the Irish the guarantees and the texts that they need and at the same time not reopen the treaty for reratification in other member states,” she said.
A meeting of EU ambassadors to discuss the text of the guarantees had to be cancelled yesterday after problems emerged at a series of bilateral meetings between Irish officials and their EU counterparts concerned about the text.
Ms Wallstrom said that it was important to find a resolution to the impasse quickly as the European Commission has other work to attend to including addressing the economic crisis, preparing for a conference on climate change, and immigration policy.
Speaking during a visit to Cork, Ms Wallstrom said that she was confident that the Government had prepared the way for the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty at the second attempt but it was up to the voters to decide.
“I think the Irish Government has been talking to the other members states and they are indeed prepared and they have worked very seriously and hard on finding a way forward,” she said.
Ms Wallstrom said that she, like others in European Commission, hadn’t contemplated the consequences of Ireland rejecting the Lisbon Treaty for a second time but were instead focusing on helping the Irish Government achieve ratification.
“I don’t think anyone wants to even speculate about that. Of course, we just feel it would be very, very unfortunate . . . let’s try to solve the task we have been given to find a way to give the legal guarantees to Ireland and to work with the Government and the other member states.”
Asked if she was heartened by the fact that voters in the Republic had returned 11 out of 12 pro-Lisbon Treaty MEPs in last week’s election, Ms Wallstrom said that analysing and assessing the results was a matter for the Irish people.
“I don’t think one looks for comfort in all of this. I think it’s just a verdict from the voters – then maybe it reflects the problem of moving from saying No to something to actually offering a proper programme for the future,” she said.