A chara, - I get the impression that Jim Fitzsimmons MEP (June 26th) is under the same misapprehension as many other commentators on the draft Amsterdam Treaty. The way in which its contents are being played down appears like a deliberate attempt to lull the people of Europe into a false sense of security.
Based on the experience of previous treaties, it seems that the EU has now decided on a policy of "the less said, the better". European bureaucrats and commentators are going to great lengths to assure us that the new draft Treaty is nothing of consequence. In reality, the opposite is the case, as the Treaty gives the EU effective control over all areas of life.
Defence is no exception. Should Ireland ratify Amsterdam after the forthcoming referendum, a common defence can be established at any time in the future by a decision of the EU Council of Ministers, without the need for a further referendum. The referendum is therefore our last chance to avoid the complete abandonment of Irish neutrality.
Despite Mr Fitzsimmons's reassuring words about the "defeat" of the planned merger between the EU and the nuclear-armed Western European Union (WEU), this remains the aim of the draft Treaty. Implementing a merger would also be a matter for the Council of Ministers, rather than a decision for the Irish people in a future referendum. In the meantime, the Treaty would oblige the formation of closer links with the WEU within a year.
Mr Fitzsimmons conveniently fails to mention that the nuclear-armed WEU's Petersberg Tasks are also included in the Treaty. As a result, EU members would be committed not just to peacekeeping and humanitarian operations under the WEU's umbrella but also to "peacemaking" and "tasks of combat forces in crisis management", which could cover any foreign military involvement. "Peacemaking" is a spin-doctor term for waging war.
For reasons of brevity, I have not quoted the relevant articles of the draft Treaty (new articles J1, J2, J7 and the protocol to J7) but I would strongly recommend that your readers obtain and study carefully the 150- page text. It is much more alarming than people are being led to believe. - Le gach dea-ghui,
Dublin 2.