EUROPEAN CONVENTION: GISCARD D'ESTAING RULES OUT OPTIONS FOR DRAFT FOR SALONIKA SUMMIT.

The fragile balance achieved by Mr Giscard d'Estaing on the institutional chapter has still to be confirmed by just one single Convention component: representatives of the Member States. The Convention President believes as a result that this issue should henceforth be addressed at European Council level. At a meeting on June 6 with European Council President Costas Simitis, the Greek Prime Minister insisted upon the urgent need for a decision at the forthcoming Summit on the launch of the Inter-Governmental Conference (IGC). "This Conference must be concluded before the European elections in June 2004. European citizens must be aware of the new constitutional project before they vote", said Mr Simitis, who is keen to see the work of the Convention used as the "framework" for discussions within the IGC. Italy is proposing October 15 as the date for the launch of the IGC. The Member States are currently divided on the institutional compromise. Ireland's representative Dick Roche has struck an optimistic note anticipating success and suggesting the Convention "has done a good job", whilst in Stockholm, Prime Minister Goran Persson has spoken of "a positive signal". On the eve of the presentation of the final version of the project Ireland and Sweden were staunchly opposed to any challenge to the status quo of the Nice Treaty. French President Jacques Chirac has described the institutional proposals as "ambitious" after his Foreign Minister and Convention member Dominique de Villepin gave his backing to Mr Giscard d'Estaing on the fringes of the last Convention plenary session. "Naturally are not the object of a general agreement and there is still be much to be discussed", Mr Chirac acknowledged, before holding talks on June 10 with Chancellor Gerhard Schroder.

Spanish representative Alfonso Dastis voiced his opinion that "a consensus is not yet to hand", adding that "different aspects must be reviewed to seek a better balance. Further efforts must be made and I hope they will succeed". Meanwhile in Madrid, deputy Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy referred to a "step forward" liable to leading following further discussions, to "a balanced solution"... Apart from Poland, which is expected to relax its line, Spain enjoys no support in its opposition to the review of the voting system within the Council. British representative Peter Hain has shown little enthusiasm - "there has been good progress but it is still not enough" he suggested - but the...