DENMARK: Denmark yesterday kicked off its turn at the presidency of the EU, during which it is expected to approve enlargement of the union to up to 25 members by 2004 and tackle illegal immigration.
The Danish Prime Minister, Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said the coming half-year would be "historic" and high-risk, as memberstates must reach agreement on the terms of EU expansion by December if enlargement is to meet the 2004 timetable.
"Our attitude is clear. We hope that all the candidates will be ready, and if not, we will proceed with enlargement with the countries which fulfil the criteria," Mr Rasmussen told a joint news conference with European Commission President Romano Prodi and other European commissioners.
Countries ready to join "should not wait for the others" that are not ready, he stressed. "We will stick to the agenda, we have to follow our timetable," Mr Prodi said, noting that "the number and degree of our disagreements are not so many".
The Danish leader said he was "very worried that even a small delay will result in postponing enlargement for many years".
Missing the deadline would be "a historic mistake that Europe cannot allow", Mr Rasmussen said, and "the verdict of posterity would be severe for those responsible for blocking enlargement."
EU member-states remain divided on the financial terms of enlargement, notably on subsidies to farmers in candidate countries.
Immigration is expected to be a major issue during the Danish presidency. In June EU leaders agreed to crack down against illegal immigration, with the help of the poor nations from which immigrants flee, following the success of the far right in France and the Netherlands in exploiting the issue.
The conservative Danish government, which relies on the informal support of the right-wing Danish People's Party in parliament, has taken its own national measures to crack down on immigration, prompting concern among both the UN and other EU states.
The Danish Prime Minister has warned that if Irish voters again reject the Nice Treaty at a second plebiscite in October, the political framework for enlargement will crumble. The treaty outlines the modus operandi of an enlarged EU, defining the distribution of MEPs between member-states.
"Our job is to demonstrate to the Irish people that we are doing the right thing," Mr Prodi said, warning there was "no plan B, no escape, no side door" should Ireland reject the treaty again.
The Danish government has also said it will give priority to peace in the Middle East during its turn at the EU helm. - (AFP)