Irish no-vote fails to dent Baltic determination

RIGA - Politicians in the Baltic states are unanimous that Ireland's negative vote on the Nice Treaty will not affect their countries' determination to join the European Union.

Latvian Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins said that the result of the referendum would not affect the country's political priorities, but could slow the EU expansion process.

"We shouldn't fall into extremes. The Parliament voted for state priorities, and they are entry to both the EU and NATO," Berzins announced.

Ireland is the only country that has held a referendum on the Nice Treaty. In the other 14 member states the Parliament will vote on the ratification of the treaty.

Guntars Krasts, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that the Irish vote will influence Latvian accession to the EU even if it is voted on a second time.

Structural reforms stipulated in the treaty remove institutional obstacles to EU expansion from 15 to 27 members.

Estonian Foreign Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves said the Irish vote cannot affect actual accession of new member candidates, because EU expansion is governed by other agreements already in effect. It can only affect the candidate countries' representation, which is stipulated in the Nice Treaty.

On the day of the vote Ilves said that whatever the outcome the referendum demonstrates the democratic nature of the European Union.

Politicians right across Europe also agreed that electorates in Western Europe must be told in simpler terms what the benefits of enlargement are.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis said Lithuania will make every effort to stay within its deadlines of concluding expansion talks next year and having Lithuania's EU membership treaty ratified by EU members by 2004, according to Baltic News Service.