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| Czech president's new treaty snag | Czech president's new treaty snag |
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| The Eurosceptic Czech President, Vaclav Klaus, wants a new two-sentence footnote to be added to the EU's Lisbon Treaty before signing it, Sweden says. | The Eurosceptic Czech President, Vaclav Klaus, wants a new two-sentence footnote to be added to the EU's Lisbon Treaty before signing it, Sweden says. |
| The new condition came up during a phone conversation between Mr Klaus and Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, current holder of the EU presidency. | The new condition came up during a phone conversation between Mr Klaus and Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, current holder of the EU presidency. |
| Mr Reinfeldt said the requested footnote was linked to the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. | Mr Reinfeldt said the requested footnote was linked to the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. |
| Poland and the Czech Republic are the only EU states yet to ratify Lisbon. | Poland and the Czech Republic are the only EU states yet to ratify Lisbon. |
| The treaty has a reference to the charter - which covers a wide range of EU citizens' rights - and the charter will become legally binding once Lisbon enters into force, although the UK has an opt-out from it. | The treaty has a reference to the charter - which covers a wide range of EU citizens' rights - and the charter will become legally binding once Lisbon enters into force, although the UK has an opt-out from it. |
| Mr Klaus has refused to sign the treaty until the Czech Constitutional Court rules on a new legal complaint against it, lodged by senators allied to him. | |
| According to Mr Reinfeldt, Mr Klaus also wants the new footnote adopted by the European Council, the grouping of EU heads of state and prime ministers. | |
| "I told him this is the wrong message at the wrong time for the EU. I told him clearly it is his ink on the paper that counts and I don't want this to delay the treaty going through as soon as possible," said Mr Reinfeldt, quoted by Reuters news agency. | |
| The Czech president told him he would sign Lisbon if he got the extra footnote and if the Czech Constitutional Court rejected the senators' legal challenge, Mr Reinfeldt said. | |
| "We need clarification on exactly what he [President Klaus] is asking for," he added. |