FRANCE: EUROPEAN PEOPLES PARTY LEADERS MEET TO EVALUATE WORK OF THE EU INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE
Record ID:
584869
FRANCE: EUROPEAN PEOPLES PARTY LEADERS MEET TO EVALUATE WORK OF THE EU INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE
- Title: FRANCE: EUROPEAN PEOPLES PARTY LEADERS MEET TO EVALUATE WORK OF THE EU INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE
- Date: 6th December 2003
- Summary: (EU) PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 4, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV SPANISH PRIME MINISTER, JOSE MARIA AZNAR'S, CAR ARRIVING IN THE MATIGNON COURTYARD; MV JOSE MARIA AZNAR GETTING OUT OF CAR (3 SHOTS) 0.12 2. MV AZNAR AND FRENCH PRIME MINISTER, JEAN-PIERRE RAFFARIN, SHAKING HANDS; SLV EXTERIOR OF MATIGNON; MV REPUBLICAN GUARD (3 SHOTS) 0.27 3. SLV ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, SILVIO BERLUSCONI'S, CAR ARRIVING IN THE MATIGNON COURTYARD; MV BERLUSCONI GETTING OUT OF CAR AND GREETED BY RAFFARIN/HANDSHAKE; SLV EXTERIOR OF MATIGNON (5 SHOTS) 1.07 4. SLV LUNCHTABLE WITH EUROPEAN LEADERS 1.10 5. MV PAN RAFFARIN AND BERLUSCONI, AZNAR AND PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTER, JOSE MANUEL DURAO BARRASO 1.16 6. SLV LUNCH TABLE WITH AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR, WOLFGANG SCHUSSEL, BERLUSCONI, RAFFARIN, AZNAR AND BARROSO (3 SHOTS) 1.28 7. SLV RAFFARIN AND EPP CHAIRMAN, WILFRIED MARTENS, COMING OUT OF MEETING 1.36 8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) JEAN-PIERRE RAFFARIN, SAYING "For us, this meeting was extremely important because it is one of the first political meetings of the enlargement (of Europe). So, we've greeted political leaders of the ten new countries of the European Union. France is very much attached to the success of the enlargement (of Europe). We think it is an historical step, we really want the enlargement to succeed and so we want to hold out one's hand. We travel to the European Union countries, we are happy to greet the European Union countries, we must bring our point of views closer, we must discuss together to share this great European project. For us, Europe is a great European project, so we must have strong institutions because today it is a very important stage, we have to get over that stage to learn how to work together, to learn how to build this huge continent which must be a balanced force in the world. We would not accept any weak institutions for a strong project. It is our conviction." (INCLUDES CUTAWAY GUARDS AND RED CARPET) 2.37 9. (SOUNDBITE)(French) SILVIO BERLUSCONI, SAYING "We all wish to advance toward the Europe of the future. It's an historical stage : the unification of Europe with the entry of 10 new members." 3.08 10. SLV BERLUSCONI GETTING INTO HIS CAR; MV BERLUSCONI'S CAR LEAVING (3 SHOTS) 3.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAEMQ9RQPII8HO4JX1NX9EXTGHB
- Story Text: European Peoples Party leaders met at Matignon to
evaluate the work of the EU Intergovernmental Conference.
Leaders of the European Peoples Party, the largest
political party in the European Parliament, have met at the
French Prime Minister's office on Thursday (December 4) in
Paris.
Talks between conservative EU leaders failed to
overcome disagreements over the shape of the blocs planned
constitution.
The French Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, hosted
a meeting of conservative representatives from across
Europe, including Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar,
who is staunchly opposed to a draft European Union
constitution whose main supporters include France and
Germany.
"For us, this meeting was extremely important because
it is one of the first political meetings of the
enlargement (of Europe). So, we've greeted political
leaders of the ten new countries of the European Union.
France is very much attached to the success of the
enlargement (of Europe). We think it is an historical step,
we really want the enlargement to succeed and so we want to
hold out one's hand. We travel to the European Union
countries, we are happy to greet the European Union
countries, we must bring our point of views closer, we must
discuss together to share this great European project. For
us, Europe is a great European project, so we must have
strong institutions because today it is a very important
stage, we have to get over that stage to learn how to work
together, to learn how to build this huge continent which
must be a balanced force in the world. We would not accept
any weak institutions for a strong project. It is our
conviction," Raffarin told reporters after the meeting.
Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, whose
country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, said
differences remained on a number of key issues; voting
arrangements, the make-up of the EU's Brussels-based
Commission and common European defence.
Aznar was not present at the brief news conference.
Berlusconi noted he was due to meet a number of EU
leaders, including German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, in
a round of last-minute diplomacy before a crunch December
12-13 summit in Brussels.
EU leaders hope next week to finalise a constitution
meant to overhaul institutions before 10 new members join
the existing 15 next May, moving the EUs borders eastwards
and swelling its population to 450 million.
Time is running out to resolve differences over a
voting system adopted in 2000 which gives some countries
voting power disproportionate to their population. Spain
and Poland, who benefit from the system, want it maintained.
A draft EU constitution drawn up by a Convention
chaired by former French President, Valery Giscard
d'Estaing, proposes a simpler double majority voting system.
Under its rules, most decisions would require a simple
majority of states that also represent 60 percent of the EU
population. France wants rapid approval of the draft text,
which would give more clout to the bigger EU states.
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