SF calls for No to 'federal united states of Europe with an army'

The Sinn Féin leader, Mr Gerry Adams, launching a final appeal for a No vote in Dublin yesterday, returned to familiar campaign themes: the contempt for democracy reflected in being forced to vote twice for the same treaty, the loss of vetoes, the loss of the automatic right to a commissioner, and the militarisation of the EU.

"As Irish republicans we want an Ireland of equals, and a Europe of equal sovereign states coming together to shape the future," he said at a press conference.

The vote was not about the EU itself but what type of EU we wanted. "Sinn Féin is comfortable with membership," he said. Nor was the treaty about enlargement.

Mr Adams condemned what he saw as the "sense that the more powerful states want to bring about a federal united states of Europe with an army - a world power."

Sinn Féin's Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin recalled a journalist asking whether listeners could conceive of such an election in Iraq - where one could only vote Yes. "He could have been talking about Nice, mark II," Mr Ó Caoláin said.

If Nice was really necessary for enlargement, he said, "will the political will to enlarge disappear on Sunday in the event of a No vote? Of course not."

The party's Mr Martin Ferris said the treaty continued the process of militarisation of the EU by assisting in creating an offensive capability. "That is far from an extension of this country's laudable role in peacekeeping."

Many thousands were dependent on services which were vulnerable to privatisation because of Article 133 of the treaty, Mr Arthur Morgan claimed. He said the Government was pursuing a "covert" agenda of privatisation, using the EU as cover.

Asked whether Sinn Féin opposed all reductions in veto voting in the EU, Mr Adams acknowledged that majority voting in the past had allowed the broad left to make some progress, but it also allowed conservative forces to do the same. On balance, the loss of national vetoes was detrimental and was opposed by the party, he said.