No German gun to Ireland's head - Financial Times

[Helium Three]

The Financial Times brings us some news we should pay attention to: -

Speaking in parliament in Berlin before leaving for Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, Ms Merkel said that - following Ireland’s rejection of the treaty last week – Dublin should be “given the chance to rejoin the game” concerning joint efforts among the EU’s 27 members to adopt the Lisbon agreement, designed to streamline the bloc’s decision-making.

The EU should not make extra concessions to Ireland, however. “Europe cannot afford to get involved in political horse-trading” she said. She did not comment on reports of a possible compromise involving Dublin accepting the treaty with an additional protocol focused the country’s specific concerns with the document.

Her aides said Ireland should be given some time to explain how it sees the ratification process. “We do not want to hold a gun to their heads” one advisor said.

More here

Mr Schultz must have been reined in for the moment.

[ArtyQueing]

She is right - no horse trading - no means no.

Next

[Aindriu]

It appears that even the Germans do not understand the word 'No'. I shall say it again for them. Nein! Nicht!

[Oldira]

So they Germans have only peaceful intentions towards us? Cant be long until we see the Luftwaffe overhead so going on previous German good intentions.

[Universal_001]

"given a chance", how generous of our overlords to give us a chance to make amends for our outrageous audacity in rejecting the plan that politicians and lobbyists hatched.

Will Cowen come back waving a white peice of paper declaring that we have nothing to fear?

[gendjinn]

Just imagine how they'll treat our desires and needs if we do ratify Lisbon. We spent so much of our history without the freedom to determine our own course and to give it all up within a 100 years of achieving it would be insane. Now, I am a big supporter of the EU but I do not understand or support closer political integration and the consequent loss of sovereignty that would entail. Economics, trade, travel, policy co-ordination and so forth are all fine but why do we need to create* a European parliament that overrules our local national governments?

We should be devolving power downwards to the people not upwards and out of our hands.

Update:* I know it's already been created, my meaning is referring to the proposed power grab.

[Anonymouse]

"given a chance", how generous of our overlords to give us a chance to make amends for our outrageous audacity in rejecting the plan that politicians and lobbyists hatched.

Will Cowen come back waving a white peice of paper declaring that we have nothing to fear?

Secret documents show that Chamberlains famous piece of paper was actually the wrapper from a complimentary Mars bar that he was given by a spendid air hostess on the flight home. He was flying with Ryanair and they asked him to take any rubbish with him when leaving the plane. Not having anywhere to dump said Mars bar wrapper, he waved it in the air on arrival.

[Watcher1]

The Financial Times brings us some news we should pay attention to: -

Speaking in parliament in Berlin before leaving for Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, Ms Merkel said that - following Ireland’s rejection of the treaty last week – Dublin should be “given the chance to rejoin the game” concerning joint efforts among the EU’s 27 members to adopt the Lisbon agreement, designed to streamline the bloc’s decision-making.

The EU should not make extra concessions to Ireland, however. “Europe cannot afford to get involved in political horse-trading” she said. She did not comment on reports of a possible compromise involving Dublin accepting the treaty with an additional protocol focused the country’s specific concerns with the document.

Her aides said Ireland should be given some time to explain how it sees the ratification process. “We do not want to hold a gun to their heads” one advisor said.

More here

Mr Schultz must have been reined in for the moment.

I think Cowan has been given an explanation on how we see the ratification process - its dead and should not continue. That should be Merkels answer right there. Anything else is pure bullying and arrogance, not to mention against the policies, procedures and ideals upon which the EU was built.

[Shankill Browser]

The EU should not make extra concessions to Ireland, however. .................................................. .............................. She did not comment on reports of a possible compromise involving Dublin accepting the treaty with an additional protocol focused the country’s specific concerns with the document.

What do you think about that?

Incidently, the day after the referendum result, the head of the European Press Association was interviewed by the BBC's The Record Europe about what he thought the next moves would be. He was of a very similar opinion in that, he thought that there was no chance of Ireland getting any concessions but that they (European Council) could chip away and find out what the Irish people's concerns were and give guarrantees rerotocols, declarations about those concerns.

Do you think that such a move would work? If Ireland had additional protocols stating in black and white that:
Ireland will not be forced to do A, B, or C. Or, In Ireland, the EU will not do A, B or C. Would that alleviate many people's fears?

[Universal_001]

"given a chance", how generous of our overlords to give us a chance to make amends for our outrageous audacity in rejecting the plan that politicians and lobbyists hatched.

Will Cowen come back waving a white peice of paper declaring that we have nothing to fear?

Secret documents show that Chamberlains famous piece of paper was actually the wrapper from a complimentary Mars bar that he was given by a spendid air hostess on the flight home. He was flying with Ryanair and they asked him to take any rubbish with him when leaving the plane. Not having anywhere to dump said Mars bar wrapper, he waved it in the air on arrival.

Will Cowen come back waving the Lisbon treaty "look it's alive, it's very much alive"

Maybe we should issue them a challenge, if the French, Germans and British can get it passed in a referendum, we will hold a second one.

Do you think that such a move would work? If Ireland had additional protocols stating in black and white that:
Ireland will not be forced to do A, B, or C. Or, In Ireland, the EU will not do A, B or C. Would that alleviate many people's fears?

The only way to alleviate my fears would be to delete the sections of the treaty casing my concern.