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Sarkozy rules out further EU enlargement

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-10 23:43

STRASBOURG, France  -- The European Union (EU) will not be able to enlarge further till the reform treaty crisis is settled, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told a European Parliament session here Thursday.

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An EU comprising more than the present 27 members could not function without reforms, said Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

The Lisbon Treaty, designed to streamline the EU's policy-making mechanism, was rejected by Ireland in a national referendum last month.

Sarkozy said the EU should not press Ireland to have a second referendum, while stressing that there should be no renegotiation on the hard-forged treaty.

The treaty, signed by EU leaders last December in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, needs to be ratified by all member states before it can come into force.

The charter provides for key institutional reforms in the EU, including creating posts for a long-term EU president and an enhanced role for the bloc's foreign policy chief.

Sarkozy also highlighted France's priorities during its EU presidency including climate change, energy, immigration, European defense and agricultural policy reform.

France took over the six-month rotating EU presidency on July 1.

On European defense, Sarkozy said the EU defense system could function alongside the NATO defence mechanism.

"How can Europe become a political power if it cannot defend itself?" he asked.

France has long been the driving force behind calls for a stronger EU defense, including the development of cross-border troop training among EU nations, despite concerns that a such a defense system could clash or overlap with that of NATO.