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06-17-2005, 09:55 PM
EU Talks on Its Future Budget Collapse (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1425445/posts)
Las Vegas Sun ^ (http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-eur/2005/jun/17/061701042.html) | June 17, 2005 at 20:00:37 PDT
BETH GARDINER ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -
Talks on the European Union's budget collapsed in acrimony Friday, abruptly ending a summit that diplomats had hoped would pull the EU out of its constitutional dilemma. Top European leaders blamed each other for the breakdown but agreed the bloc was "in a deep crisis."
The failure to agree on a budget for 2007-2013 reinforced impressions that the 50-year process of EU integration has lost direction after the French and Dutch referendums in which voters rejected a proposed EU constitution. Leaders of the bloc's member states failed to resolve strident disputes over spending and did not present a clear plan to save the constitution.
Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said early Saturday that in coming weeks EU diplomats and others "will tell you that Europe is not in crisis. It is in a deep crisis," he said after the two-day summit.
European leaders did agree Thursday to postpone the November 2006 deadline by which all members were to have ratified the charter, a roadmap to further the political and economic integration of Europe. They said the extra time would be used to digest the French and Dutch referendums nearly three weeks ago.
But on Friday, Britain refused to surrender its annual rebate and several other nations demanded financial relief. French President Jacque Chirac said he "deplored" Britain's attitude during the tense negotiations.
"It's a bad result for Europe," Chirac said.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said, "We are in one of the worst political crises Europe has ever seen. We could not get an agreement because of the stubbornness of Great Britain and the Netherlands."
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Las Vegas Sun ^ (http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-eur/2005/jun/17/061701042.html) | June 17, 2005 at 20:00:37 PDT
BETH GARDINER ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -
Talks on the European Union's budget collapsed in acrimony Friday, abruptly ending a summit that diplomats had hoped would pull the EU out of its constitutional dilemma. Top European leaders blamed each other for the breakdown but agreed the bloc was "in a deep crisis."
The failure to agree on a budget for 2007-2013 reinforced impressions that the 50-year process of EU integration has lost direction after the French and Dutch referendums in which voters rejected a proposed EU constitution. Leaders of the bloc's member states failed to resolve strident disputes over spending and did not present a clear plan to save the constitution.
Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said early Saturday that in coming weeks EU diplomats and others "will tell you that Europe is not in crisis. It is in a deep crisis," he said after the two-day summit.
European leaders did agree Thursday to postpone the November 2006 deadline by which all members were to have ratified the charter, a roadmap to further the political and economic integration of Europe. They said the extra time would be used to digest the French and Dutch referendums nearly three weeks ago.
But on Friday, Britain refused to surrender its annual rebate and several other nations demanded financial relief. French President Jacque Chirac said he "deplored" Britain's attitude during the tense negotiations.
"It's a bad result for Europe," Chirac said.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said, "We are in one of the worst political crises Europe has ever seen. We could not get an agreement because of the stubbornness of Great Britain and the Netherlands."
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE REST