Italy/EU: European Union leaders meeting in Rome on Saturday have launched an Inter-Governmental Conference (IGC) to complete negotiations on a new constitutional treaty for the EU.
The leaders expressed confidence that they will find agreement by December on a text based on a draft agreed at the Convention on the Future of Europe.
Italy's Prime Minister, Mr Silvio Berlusconi, called on his fellow leaders to remain as close to the draft text as possible but he acknowledged that the task ahead was difficult.
"In a globalised world, Europe must rediscover its ancient leadership role, revitalising the roots of its civilisation. This will be no easy task," he said.
If Italy fails to complete the negotiations by December, it will be up to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to find agreement among the 25 present and future EU member-states during Ireland's EU presidency in the first half of next year.
"I strongly support the Italian presidency in its efforts to steer the IGC to a successful and an early conclusion.
"Of course, if need be, Ireland is ready to take over the task but we're determined to do all we can to help the negotiations over the next ten weeks," Mr Ahern said.
Describing the IGC as a defining moment for Europe, the president of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, urged governments to avoid using language during the negotiations that could present problems later in winning public approval for the constitutional treaty.
"As we approach next year's European elections, I will personally go out and campaign for the new treaty and the new constitution for Europe. In order to sell our message effectively in that campaign, we need a good constitutional treaty, based on the convention's work, and we need to carry out our business in an open and positive manner," he said.
Most leaders promised to avoid tinkering unnecessarily with the draft text but Spain and Poland made clear they would not accept a proposal to change the system of weighted votes agreed at Nice for the Council of Ministers. Poland's Prime Minister, Mr Leszek Miller, rejected a call by the Italian presidency for those who want to change the draft text to find an alternative consensus among the 25.
"If Nice is so wrong, why did they all approve it? Why did all EU countries ratify it? It won't be us who will present a compromise. It's not us who wants to change a treaty," he said.
Germany's chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schröder, who wants the draft text to be adopted almost unchanged, said it was no surprise that those who disagreed expressed their reservations at the meeting. "I didn't expect anything else. Of course, there can only be a final result at the end of the IGC. I didn't expect those who want changes to the composition of the Commission or the voting system would say today that they didn't want that," he said.
After the leaders left Rome, the foreign ministers remained behind for the first working session of the IGC while police used tear gas to repel protesters outside the summit venue. The ministers agreed to drop a proposal to create a new Legislative Council where member-states would vote on all EU legislation.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, said that there was broad agreement that the task should be left to ministers meeting in sectoral councils.
The ministers, who will meet again in Luxembourg next week, also discussed possible changes to the system of rotating presidencies and the role of a new EU foreign minister. "It was a good discussion and I thought the Italian presidency handled things well," Mr Cowen said.
