EU CONSTITUTION: FRENCH MINISTER SUGGESTS CUTTING REJECTED EU TREATY DOWN TO SIZE.

Constitution must be cut down to deal with institutions.

Speaking to the press in Paris on January 12, Mr Sarkozy, who is the right's strongest candidate to replace Jacques Chirac as French President in 2007, said that the EU needed to have the right institutions to function properly. The draft Constitution contained a number of important steps forward which had been the object of a consensus among EU leaders such as a permanent presidency of the European Union, extension of voting by qualified majority and co-decision and the creation of a European Foreign Minister. Mr Sarkozy said that a shorter text based on the first part of the Constitution (which deals with institutional issues) should be drawn up. There should be an "evaluation mission", he said, to draft this reduced text which would visit European capitals to meet representatives of governments, national parliaments, political parties and civil society. This "reduced and consensual text" would be approved by Parliament, he suggested.

"Sarko" at odds with Chirac.

Sarkozy's view is markedly different from that of current French President Jacques Chirac who called on January 10 for "pioneer groups" of member states to push ahead with deeper integration in the areas such as justice and home affairs and external relations and defence.

No enlargement beyond 27 without new Treaty.

The French Interior Minister said that the failure of the French and Dutch referendums had been due to the "hostility of the people" to a Europe "without borders". He said there should be no further enlargements (beyond the expansion to take in Bulgaria and Romania) unless the EU had reformed its institutions. He also called for work on drawing up a "strategic partnership" status for countries which neighbour the EU but which could not expect to become members, an indirect reference to Turkey. Mr Sarkozy's position is very close to that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel who believes that Ankara should be offered a "privileged partnership" if Turkey does not meet the criteria for membership.

Six "bigs" should lead EU.

He also repeated his call for the six leading EU countries (Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy, Poland and France) to play a leadership role and act as the "motor of the EU". This puts him at odds with Angela Merkel who is opposed to some EU member states dominating the others through exclusive partnerships.

EPP leader echoes Sarkozy on salvaging parts of Constitution.

Nicolas Sarkozy's position on how...

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