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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Merkel urges EU treaty compromise | Merkel urges EU treaty compromise |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged EU leaders to be ready to compromise on a new constitutional treaty before a crucial summit. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged EU leaders to be ready to compromise on a new constitutional treaty before a crucial summit. |
| Mrs Merkel met Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Germany for crucial talks on the simplified treaty. | Mrs Merkel met Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Germany for crucial talks on the simplified treaty. |
| Germany, the current holder of the EU presidency, wants states to agree to a road map for a new constitution at next week's summit in Brussels. | Germany, the current holder of the EU presidency, wants states to agree to a road map for a new constitution at next week's summit in Brussels. |
| Mr Kaczynski has threatened to veto any deal reducing Poland's voting rights. | Mr Kaczynski has threatened to veto any deal reducing Poland's voting rights. |
| 'Time to act' | 'Time to act' |
| Speaking on her weekly video podcast, released just before she met with Mr Kaczynksi on Saturday, Mrs Merkel said Europe needed to "recover its ability to act". | Speaking on her weekly video podcast, released just before she met with Mr Kaczynksi on Saturday, Mrs Merkel said Europe needed to "recover its ability to act". |
| "For [the timetable] to be agreed on, readiness to compromise on the part of everyone will be necessary," she said. | "For [the timetable] to be agreed on, readiness to compromise on the part of everyone will be necessary," she said. |
| We ... must not devote our attention to ourselves for too long Angela MerkelGerman Chancellor | We ... must not devote our attention to ourselves for too long Angela MerkelGerman Chancellor |
| "We are working on it and thank many member states for pursuing the same goal." | "We are working on it and thank many member states for pursuing the same goal." |
| She urged leaders from the EU's 27 member states to act quickly to resolve the constitutional crisis. | She urged leaders from the EU's 27 member states to act quickly to resolve the constitutional crisis. |
| "We need a new contractual basis for this, but we also must not devote our attention to ourselves for too long," she said. | "We need a new contractual basis for this, but we also must not devote our attention to ourselves for too long," she said. |
| French and Dutch voters rejected a proposed EU constitution in 2005. | French and Dutch voters rejected a proposed EU constitution in 2005. |
| The new, simplified treaty is expected to address demands for institutional change to help the EU to operate more efficiently. | The new, simplified treaty is expected to address demands for institutional change to help the EU to operate more efficiently. |
| 'Herculean effort' | 'Herculean effort' |
| But Mr Kaczynski has threatened to block efforts to draft it next week because of the proposed changes to the bloc's national voting system. | But Mr Kaczynski has threatened to block efforts to draft it next week because of the proposed changes to the bloc's national voting system. |
| Britain goes to Luxembourg armed with clearer red lines BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2007/06/into_the_padded_cell.html">Read Mark's thoughts in full | |
| The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says Poland currently has an extraordinarily good deal compared to its size. | The BBC's Adam Easton in Warsaw says Poland currently has an extraordinarily good deal compared to its size. |
| However, under the "double majority" system written into the constitution three years ago, it stands to be one of the biggest losers, our correspondent says. | However, under the "double majority" system written into the constitution three years ago, it stands to be one of the biggest losers, our correspondent says. |
| Poland says accepting the system would be a capitulation, because it would give its neighbour, Germany, far more weight than it has now and Poland far less. | Poland says accepting the system would be a capitulation, because it would give its neighbour, Germany, far more weight than it has now and Poland far less. |
| Mr Kaczynski has therefore said he wants European leaders to discuss what he believes is a fairer alternative - calculating voting rights according to the square root of each country's population, rather than simply according to population. | Mr Kaczynski has therefore said he wants European leaders to discuss what he believes is a fairer alternative - calculating voting rights according to the square root of each country's population, rather than simply according to population. |
| If Poland is not allowed to have its say, it will use its veto, Mr Kaczynski has warned. | If Poland is not allowed to have its say, it will use its veto, Mr Kaczynski has warned. |
| The president and his twin brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, say their plan "is worth dying for". | The president and his twin brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, say their plan "is worth dying for". |
| Our correspondent says the chances for an agreement next week are not looking good. | Our correspondent says the chances for an agreement next week are not looking good. |
| Berlin has identified seven outstanding problems to be discussed at the summit and the voting system is not among them. | Berlin has identified seven outstanding problems to be discussed at the summit and the voting system is not among them. |
| Mrs Merkel has admitted it will take a "Herculean" effort to win Poland round. | Mrs Merkel has admitted it will take a "Herculean" effort to win Poland round. |