Prime Minister Vanhanen: EU constitution ratification proceeds in Finland

Vanhanen and Merkel disagree on EU enlargement

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Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen says that the ratification process of the proposed European Union constitution is proceeding on schedule in the Finnish Parliament, even though President Tarja Halonen questioned the wisdom of the process.
      Halonen said on Monday that she does not believe that the Finnish example would prove decisive for passage of the document in other EU member states.
      "We should not exaggerate the influence of the Finnish example, but we should also not downplay it", Vanhanen said during a visit to Germany
      The draft constitution was rejected last year in referendums held in France and The Netherlands. Vanhanen said that he hopes that "a situation will emerge in which the treaty can still be saved" after the Parliamentary elections are held in those two countries.
     
On Tuesday German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted a dinner for Vanhanen in Berlin. The menu included spring flounder from Merkel’s home region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
      The agenda of the meeting between the leaders included key issues for the upcoming EU presidencies of the two countries, such as education and innovation policy, energy policy, and relations with Russia. In a brief press conference before the dinner, Merkel praised Finland as a country that is exemplary especially in education and innovation policy.
     
Differences emerged during the day on issues of long-term enlargement.
      Chancellor Merkel said at a seminar on Tuesday that the EU needs to define limits to itself, lest integration stop, or retreat.
      At the same seminar, Prime Minister Vanhanen said that the EU should avoid such discussion.
      "The old principle is worth keeping: each European country that meets the criteria of EU membership must have the right to get to be a member."
      As Vanhanen sees it, the enlargement of the EU increases political stability, and it is in the EU’s own interest to enlarge to the West Balkans.
      Although Merkel called for setting limits to enlargement, she would not say where those limits should be.
      "On the one hand we must be honest and try to meet our promises, but on the other hand we must note that the membership of certain countries is not possible in the foreseeable future", Merkel said.
      During the German general election campaign Merkel and her party, the Christian Democratic Union, were opposed to Turkish membership in the EU. Since she took office, Merkel has been in favour of continuing membership talks with Turkey.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Halonen downplays need for Finnish ratification of EU constitution (9.5.2006)

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