MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU leaders reach agreement on new treaty

Leaders of the European Union say they have reached an agreement on crafting a new EU treaty.

The agreement was announced early Saturday in Brussels by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The new guidelines will provide a benchmark on crafting a new EU treaty, which will replace a draft constitution rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2005. The deal, which Mr. Sarkozy describes as "very good news," was reached after two days of acrimonious talks. Negotiations were nearly scuttled after Poland rejected a compromise package on EU voting rules. Warsaw was demanding voting clout linked to each country's population in the 27-member European Union. On Friday, the leaders agreed on a new post to run EU foreign policy. The job combines the positions of EU foreign policy chief, currently held by Javier Solana, who deals mostly with crisis management, and external relations commissioner - a job now held by Benita Ferrero-Waldner -, who controls the European Commission's budget. The EU leaders decided on the title "high representative of the European Union" for the combined position rather than "foreign minister" as had been proposed. Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed Britain's views on making the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights binding on all members. Britain objects to charter provisions guaranteeing a broadly defined right to strike. Also Friday, French President Sarkozy persuaded his counterparts to drop a reference in the treaty to "free and undistorted competition," in an effort to ease French voters' fears that the charter would not protect workers. Germany holds the six-month rotating EU presidency.