Foreign ministers progress amid differences on WEU

EU foreign ministers last night moved close to reaching agreement on the structures of decision-making in EU foreign and security policy at a pre-summit meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference, which will change the shape of the Maastricht treaty.

But agreement on a formula to square fundamentally different aspirations on the relationship between the EU and the Western European Union (WEU) still seems far off.

It also emerged that the President of the Commission, Mr Jacques Santer, has sent a letter to the Dutch Presidency complaining that the current proposals on enhancing the Union's social dimension are lacking in ambition.

The Commission wants to see the incorporation of the Social Protocol in the Union treaty - backed by all 15 - complemented by extending the scope of qualified majority voting into areas such as dismissal rights.

It is also concerned that the current text wording does not go far enough in copper-fastening the Commission's right to spend money on anti-poverty programmes, currently in jeopardy because of action in the European Court of Justice.

Yesterday's meeting, however, focused on common foreign and security policy (CFSP).

The Dutch presidency is attempting to circumvent the veto by creating a special category of decisions which foreign ministers would be able to take by qualified majority voting (QMV) after a meeting of heads of government by unanimity, had agreed "basic decisions" on broad policy outlines. Member states would still however, retain a veto on such decisions where a vital national interest was threatened, a so-called "emergency brake".

Ireland's representative, Mr Noel Dorr, in the absence of the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, expressed concern at how such basic decisions would be defined, warning that because the consequent decisions would be taken by QMV member states might be reluctant to agree a strategic approach.

But Mr Dorr and others made clear that they thought the approach could be acceptable.

His concerns were shared by the new British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, who also made clear, in a strong defence of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), that Britain will not support the merger of the WEU with the EU.

The Dutch Foreign Minister, Mr Hans van Mierlo, was, however, still expressing confidence that a middle road can be found between those who wish to set a timetable in the treaty for merger and those who insist the treaty should only refer to closer but separate co-operation.

Irish diplomatic sources suggested that Dutch proposals to express in the treaty only "the objective of gradual integration" as a compromise is still not a runner.

The Dutch Prime Minister, Mr Wim Kok, will today prepare the traditional letter of invitation to heads of government sent out before all summits setting out the agenda of the one-day meeting on Friday in the Dutch town of Noordwijk.

With the Presidency holding back until early June from producing its own full draft treaty text, the summit is now expected, to be substantially an exercise in, getting to know the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and in reaffirming the determination of heads of government to see the Treaty completed in Amsterdam on June 16th and 17th.

After the meeting, Mr Kok and Mr van Mierlo will begin a tour of capitals to prepare the final ground for Amsterdam. Mr van Mierlo yesterday said he was pleased at the general level of acceptance of the current Dutch preliminary draft as the basis for work in the final straight.

The German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, told journalists- that 85 per cent of the treaty was, now agreed. The rest, some of it still very complex, will be resolved, he said, in a "night of the long knives" during the summit.