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Journalist: Mister Asselborn joins us now from Washington. Thank you very much for finding the time to talk to us. In a word, how would you describe the mood in Europe right now?
Jean Asselborn: I think it is very clear. Europe is hesitating. We have two negative votes on the text in the Netherlands and in France in a specific context. Now, we should not panic, we have to be very calm. And I think we have to continue the ratification procedures because we are 25, and at the end of the day, at the end of 2006, we will see where we are.
Journalist: Is there a danger though in continuing with the ratification process if it gets further rebuffs as we have seen in France and in the Netherlands, particularly Britain, for example, could very easily knock it back. Where will you be left then?
Jean Asselborn: No. You see, in France and in the Netherlands we have these results. These results mean something. Now, the next referendum will be in Luxembourg. And I hope that in Luxembourg we will reverse the trend. Luxembourg is really a European country, and we know that we always become much more important if Europe becomes more important and more effective. So, we will reverse, as I said, the situation and we will say that we need this Constitution to be a stronger Europe and to be a more democratic Europe. And maybe that we’ll see signals in autumn, when the referendums will go on in Denmark and in other countries, it will be very positive. You have also to understand that today the tenth country – ten countries said yes. And today, in Latvia, the Parliament said yes to this Constitution. So we have two countries now having problems, but in 10 countries now with more than 50% of the population, people and parliaments have said yes.
Journalist: Well let us put the best possible construction on this. Let us say that all the other nations that haven’t yet made a decision on ratifying it, go ahead and do it. Let us say that everyone of them passes and ratifies this constitution, including Britain, where euro-sceptiscism is a strong strand. Even so you would still be left with a situation where two countries, founder members of the block, have rejected the Constitution and the requirement is that all have to approve it to go forward. Is that not the case?
Jean Asselborn: That’s right what you say. But even in this new Constitution, in Chapter IV, you have an article saying that if 20 countries of the 25 say yes, the other countries, or five at least, if they have problems with ratification, the European Council can take a decision. It is not specified what kind of decision (…). There is an instrument saying that if some countries have problems we can take a decision in the European Council what to do with these countries.
You speak about the UK. I think it is very, very difficult for the UK as it is difficult for other countries. But let’s be calm. Now, we got a message. Now also we have to show that Europe can work very efficiently.
We are here in Washington. We spoke about this conference on the 22nd June about Iraq. We spoke about the preparations for the summit EU-US and EU-Canada on the 19th and 20th June. So, internationally we function. Europe is not stopped by these two negative referendums. And I am not too pessimistic but I see that there is a problem and this problem we have to face it. And now, we cannot say: "that’s it, we push the button and say: Europe, that’s finished". No. We have to continue very slowly, by paying a lot of attention to what happened in these two countries. And then, at the end of the day, in November 2006, we will see.
Journalist: Okay. Still a euro-optimistic Jean Asselborn, the current President of the Council of the European Union. Thank you very much for joining us.
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