Friday, June 20, 2003

I think Chirac just like the word "veto". "Veto this" "Veto that" "Veto Everything" "Veto, Veto , Veto!"

French President Jacques Chirac threatened to veto any reform of European Union farm subsidies in which France was outvoted, forcing the EU to halt marathon talks until next week, diplomats said today.

The dramatic show of force came to light after television cameras caught Chirac gesturing animatedly to Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis at welcoming ceremonies of an EU summit on Thursday evening which Simitis was to chair.

The Greek leader's spokesman told Reuters that Simitis had refused point-blank a last-minute demand by Chirac, accompanied by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, to put stalled farm reform talks on the summit agenda.

I love this bit of diplospeak.

Chirac's spokeswoman, Catherine Colonna, indirectly confirmed he had then sought the suspension of the Luxembourg talks rather than risk a majority decision that might have hit French farmers, the CAP's biggest beneficiaries.

"France is looking for a consensual solution on the CAP," she told Reuters. "The conditions were not right today. We hope that these few days will permit progress."

Forget the majority of thi ministers. To have "consensus" means France must agree.

One said Chirac had told Simitis that if a majority decision went against France, he would invoke a national interest using a procedure known as the "Luxembourg compromise" to force member states to go on negotiating until there is unanimous agreement.

This veto power is a rarely used "nuclear weapon" in EU affairs.

Ahhh. The nuance! The multi-lateral post-national good will. Do as I want "or else", you stupid barbarians.

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