EU should prioritise the adoption of a constitution
Paris, France, 03/12/2004 | press release
The President of the Republic, Dr Janez Drnovšek, today continues his official visit to France, where he met the French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin in the morning. In the afternoon, he will meet his host, the French president, Jacques Chirac, at the Élysées Palace.
The main topic of the talks with Mr de Villepin was an exchange of views on the adoption of the European Constitutional Treaty. At the outset, the French minister commended the hard work Slovenia had invested in the process of EU accession. The two statesmen emphasised the need for unity among European member states in order to adopt the Constitutional Treaty, which they agreed was a priority for the European Union.
They also agreed that there was little probability of the European constitution being adopted during the Irish presidency and that developments such as elections and negotiations on the future financial perspective of the EU would affect the treaty adoption process and make it even more demanding. The French minister said that new cores could start to form if the treaty was not adopted. The minister also emphasised the need for internal consolidation. Mr de Villepin said it would not be easy to work in a twenty-five member union, and it would require exceptional will and energy, though he added that both Slovenia and France can muster it.
In the continuation of their talks, they also discussed the Western Balkans. The Slovenian president noted that Slovenia will have an active role in this region due to its experience with and knowledge of it, and he emphasised the importance of a prospective European future for further stabilisation of the region.
