Visit to Ireland – Statements made by M. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic, during his joint press conference with Mr Brian Cowen, Irish Prime Minister (excerpts)

Dublin, 21 July 2008

THE PRESIDENT – (…) I’d like to say how pleased I’ve been to pay my first visit as President of the European Council to Ireland, for a long working meeting with the Irish Prime Minister. I told him how much Europe needed Ireland and how much confidence we had in him to explain the reasons for the “no” vote and find with the Irish people the ways and means to get out of the situation we find ourselves in.

I was very happy with the many meetings which I, accompanied by Bernard Kouchner, have had with the representatives of all the political parties, regardless of whether they voted “yes” or “no”, with the representatives of trade union, employers’ and youth organizations and of civil society. I sensed a very great commitment to Europe on the part of the Irish. I explained that I’ll fight for us to move forward as 27, without leaving anyone out, to find a solution together as 27. Everyone told me how they saw the difficulties. At the October European Council, the Irish Prime Minister will present a report on the situation and his view of Ireland’s situation vis-à-vis Europe. Between now and then, we’re going to increase the number of working meetings. I’ll have the pleasure of a meeting with Prime Minister Cowen in Paris in September. Our ministers are going to work together, our staffs too. We haven’t got the miracle solution and above all we don’t want to impose one. We want the Irish people to feel their choice is respected, but we also have to take account of the fact that, with Italy, soon 24 countries will have ratified the Lisbon Treaty.

I’m convinced that with a bit of time, and Ireland needs time, we’ll find the solution for giving Europeans the democratic institutions they need. I sensed that all the people I’ve talked to, and particularly the Prime Minister, wanted a Europe which delivers results.

Q. – Are you still vetoing European Union enlargement until the Lisbon Treaty issue is resolved? Because we can’t put forward amendments, modifications to this treaty, given, as has been said to you today, that it’s a long-term problem, not only for the French or even Swedish presidency: in 18 months’ time the problem might not have been resolved.

THE PRESIDENT – First of all, that isn’t my view. Like your Prime Minister, I am bound by the treaties. The Nice Treaty provides for a 27-member Europe. It isn’t me who’s saying this, it’s the Nice Treaty. For there to be a new enlargement we’ll have to have moved to Lisbon. As things stand at the moment, it’s either Nice or Lisbon, since a vast majority of the Member States aren’t ready for a new institutional conference. (…)

Q. – Are you sticking to what you said last week, that Ireland has to conduct a second referendum? After your day today, do you understand the anger these words provoked?

THE PRESIDENT – I never said that Ireland had to call a new referendum! I said that, at some point or other, the Irish would clearly have to give their view. I didn’t talk about a referendum (…) and I didn’t interfere in the Irish political debate. (…)

But what did people expect from the EU president? That I let things be? That we don’t deal with them? That we leave the Irish on their island? The Irish have asked questions: "are we going to be able to remain neutral? Are we going to be able to keep our tax system? Are we going to be able to keep our legislation on abortion?". But if the President-in-Office of the Council doesn’t come to debate these questions, understand, listen and provide answers, then how are we going to take the European debate forward in Ireland? (…)

I don’t claim to know the right answers, but I have come as a friend to see a friendly country with whom we share firm beliefs and common interests and are going to find solutions. We need a bit of time, but we’re seeing to things. I preferred to do this rather than wait for the October Council, for Brian to come with his report without us having talked about it. That’s not Europe. Europe is helping one another, not making things more complicated for each other, without taking account of the political colour of governments. (…)./.

President Sarkozy’s visit to Ireland – Communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic

Paris, 21 July 2008

During his visit to Ireland, President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Brian Cowen talked about several subjects. President Sarkozy stressed that he had wanted his first visit in Europe as President-in-Office of the European Council to be to Ireland, which the Taoiseach welcomed.

IRELAND/LISBON TREATY

They discussed the issue of the Lisbon Treaty and recent referendum in Ireland. The Prime Minister said that the Irish government was setting itself the goal of more clearly understanding the concerns which had influenced the outcome of this referendum, which has to be done before deciding how best to respond to it. He added that detailed consultations would be held both inside Ireland and with European Union partners, in the run-up to the October European Council meeting. President Sarkozy confirmed that he respected the result of the Irish referendum, but was pleased to note that the ratification process was continuing in the other Member States and expressed his commitment to the Lisbon Treaty. The two men pledged to consult closely in order to find the means to take the EU forward.

They reaffirmed that the EU had to go on delivering concrete results to European citizens in essential fields, many of which are priorities for the French presidency. They talked about the current situation of foodstuff and oil prices, importance of the Common Agricultural Policy, state of progress of the ongoing negotiations at the WTO and need for the EU to play a leading role in the face of climate changes and energy security.

SUDAN/CHAD/EUFOR/CAR

The two men discussed the situation in Sudan and Chad and talked about the important contribution EUFOR is making in Chad and the Central African Republic, under Lt. General Pat Nash’s operational command and to which France and Ireland are the two States contributing the most. Franco-Irish cooperation is essential in the conduct of this mission which fully reflects the European Union’s increased skill and expertise in carrying out humanitarian operations.

IRAN

President Sarkozy and the Irish Prime Minister also discussed several other international questions, including the growing concerns of the international community regarding Iran and her nuclear programme, a matter on which they reaffirmed their total support for the efforts led by the European Union to achieve a diplomatic solution./.