EU CONSTITUTION: LUXEMBOURG VOTES IN FAVOUR OF NEW EU TREATY.

The result was greeted by a large number of European political leaders. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that the Commission welcomed the result with ogreat satisfactiono. Pointing out that Luxembourg was the thirteenth country to ratify the text, Mr Barroso said the vote was a opositive signalo as it showed that a majority of member states considered that the Constitution omet their expectationso and opened the way to a omore democratic, more efficient and strongero Europe.

European Parliament President Josep Borrell said he was oextremely encouraged by the resulto because the people of Luxembourg had said Yes to the continuation of the European integration process. He said he wanted to congratulate Prime Minister Juncker on the political courage he had shown because his decision to go ahead with the ratification after the No votes in France and the Netherlands was onot without risko. He added that Luxembourg had shown that whatever came out of the planned period of reflection on the future of Europe, othe building of Europe as a political community is still very much on the agendao.

Hans-Gert Pottering, leader of the...