The German government says it "regrets" Ireland’s rejection of the Nice Treaty but says the outcome will "in no way delay the enlargement process," according to a government spokesman.
|
"While we respect the decision of the Irish people, naturally the enlargement process goes forward, no question," the spokesman said.
Together with its EU partners, the German government said it will analyse the reasons for the outcome, as well as the response of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
Despite the mild language of the German government, there is no doubt that the rejection of the Nice Treaty by Irish voters is a more serious setback than the 1992 rejection of the Maastricht Treaty by Danish voters.
The Danes ratified that treaty at a second vote after the government there received clarification on a number of opt-outs, something that is impossible this time around, according to Mr Joachim Fritz-Vannahme, of the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit.
"The Nice Treaty is far too bound up with the institutions of Europe for Ireland to be able to seek opt-outs to ensure a yes vote second time around as the Danes did," he said.
The Irish government can seek special provisions from Brussels and propose a second referendum, but it is unlikely that Germany will compromise on the hard-won agreements of last December’s Nice summit, such as the re-weighting of votes, according to Mr Fritz-Vannahme.
Faced with the "impenetrable" Nice Treaty, it is likely Irish voters decided using more emotional criteria, such as the Commission reprimand of Irish economic policies earlier this year, he said.
"The tone of the reprimand could have been and should have been a lot better," said Mr Fritz-Vannahme.
"People in Ireland who are proud of their economic success perhaps saw this vote as a chance to show their annoyance with Brussels," he said.
"No one in Ireland seriously reckons with a No vote but many Irish feel snubbed by the European Commissions measures earlier this year," wrote the Berliner Zeitungyesterday.
The referendum was covered as a footnote to the British general election, if at all, by the German media.
"No from Ireland has consequences for all of Europe," wrote the influential Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
"The fate of the Nice Treaty lies in Irish hands, or rather in the hands of the quarter of undecided voters," it wrote yesterday, adding that a Yes vote was still likely.
Germany is expected to ratify the Nice Treaty as a formality in late autumn, according to government sources.
As in all EU countries except Ireland, the treaty will be ratified by the German parliament and not by referendum.
