Frattini; Threat of exclusion if countries hinder new EU Constitution

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said whilst being interviewed by La Repubblica, "Any country which hinders the provisions of the new EU Co nstitution may be punished by being excluded from the 2004 intake, until the next wave of EU entrants is admitted in 2006, the so called "second category of EU membership". His statement raised fears among Polish negotiators especially Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller who strongly objected to changes being made to the voting system in the EU Council during last week's EU summit in Brussels. According to current regulations the Constitution must be unanimously accepted and subsequently ratified by EU leaders. Earlier, Minister for European Affairs Danuta Huebner, stressed there is a risk of Poland rejecting the Constitution if it does not meet its requ irements. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1,A7) A.Z