EU:The leader of the Greens in the European Parliament Daniel Cohn-Bendit has urged the Green Party in Ireland to support the Lisbon Treaty at its convention on Saturday.
He has also warned that a negative vote in the upcoming treaty referendum would produce a "big problem" for Ireland, which could result in the State having to leave the union and instead form a privileged partnership with the EU.
"I don't know what would happen if Ireland votes against it, but it would be a big problem. Ireland can't have it both ways, it can't receive big subsidies from Europe and then vote against Europe," he said yesterday.
"Perhaps, a special statute could be passed that would enable Ireland to stay in the EEC but have a privileged partnership with the EU instead of full membership. Britain could also do that." It was not in either Ireland's or Europe's interest for the Republic to leave the EU over the treaty, he added.
Mr Cohn-Bendit's comments follow warnings from internal markets commissioner Charlie McCreevy last October that Ireland would be "out" if the electorate voted against the treaty. But Irish officials insist a No vote would force a rethink on the treaty rather than force Ireland to leave the EU. Ireland is the only EU state planning to hold a referendum.
Mr Cohn-Bendit, who was a leader in the student protests in France in 1968 and is a former anarchist, said he thought national referendums on EU treaties were a bad idea because people often did not vote on the issue at stake. "If you held a national referendum in France at the moment people would probably vote on the latest situation with Carla Bruni and not the EU," he said, referring to the supermodel turned singer dating French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
"The European Greens have long advocated a European referendum with a double majority, initially for deciding the constitution. This would give a better reflection of how the European citizenry feels about further integration. National referendums are clearly not the best democratic instruments to decide on European issues," he added.
The treaty would help to achieve some core Green priorities and he hoped party members choose to support it, he said. "Setting sustainable development, environmental protection and the fight against climate change as priorities for the EU is an important development. Concerted action at European level is the best way to address these global challenges.
"The inclusion of the charter of fundamental rights in the treaty is another positive development, clearly setting out core values of the union. Finally, the treaty also furthers attempts to improve the democratic accountability of the EU: increased co-decision, increased role of national parliaments, citizens' initiative."
Mr Cohn-Bendit said the treaty did not increase militarism. It enables the EU to make better use of existing resources to positively engage in peacekeeping missions.
The Irish Greens have campaigned for a No vote in five EU referendums over the past 21 years. A two-thirds majority of party members will be required to commit the party to either support the Yes or No campaign.