France and Ireland said tonight they believed it was possible to strike a deal on a new European Union constitution before the end of June, although sticking points remained.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern met France's President Jacques Chirac today as part of a final round of consultations with European leaders on the draft treaty ahead of a crucial summit on June 17th and 18th.
"I do believe it is possible that we can complete the EU constitution. We will do all we can to get the necessary compromises... It is important for the people of Europe," said Mr Ahern. Ireland currently holds the rotating EU Presidency.
A new constitution for the EU is seen as vital for the smooth running of the bloc, which expanded to 25 members from 15 on May 1st.
"An accord is necessary and possible. We are fully confident in the Irish presidency being able to get that result," Mr Chirac told reporters.
A previous attempt to approve the constitution in December collapsed in a dispute pitting medium-sized states Poland and Spain, which wanted to preserve disproportionate voting rights won in the 2000 Nice treaty, against heavyweights France and Germany.
Mr Ahern said the EU was making "considerable progress" towards a deal but acknowledged some issues remained unsolved.
On the subject of voting rights, he said: "The double majority is the system, then we have to find the exact mechanisms."
The double majority system in the previous draft called for most decisions to be made by over 50 percent of EU member states representing over 60 percent of the bloc's population. Ireland has suggested both figures would have to be raised, without putting numbers on paper.
Mr Chirac reiterated French demands for a constitutional treaty which permitted as many EU decisions as possible to be taken by qualified majorities.
He also reaffirmed France was against any mention of Europe's Christian heritage in the charter which some Catholic countries have called for.