THE EU: The Taoiseach has said Luxembourg's Prime Minister, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, would have had the overwhelming support of EU leaders to lead the European Commission if he had not ruled himself out. Denis Staunton, European Correspondent, reports
Speaking in Luxembourg yesterday on the last day of his tour of EU capitals, Mr Ahern said that he regretted Mr Juncker's decision to remain in Luxembourg if he wins a further term as prime minister next month.
"This could have been a very easy task for me if the prime minister of Luxembourg had been a candidate. I would not have had a problem because everybody wanted him. But unfortunately, when we discussed this issue back in March, he told me that his loyalty was to the people in his country," Mr Ahern said.
Mr Juncker's promise to remain in Luxembourg leaves the race to succeed Mr Romano Prodi wide open. Belgium's Mr Guy Verhofstadt, Austria's Mr Wolfgang Schuessel and Denmark's Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen each enjoy the support of some EU leaders but none enjoys overwhelming support.
Some leaders have asked the Taoiseach to consider taking the job himself, but he insisted yesterday that there was no question of him going to Brussels.
"No, I won't be the name that will emerge," he said.
Mr Ahern went from Luxembourg to Berlin and Copenhagen for talks with Mr Gerhard Schröder and Mr Rasmussen on the constitutional treaty.
Mr Schröder promised that Germany "will go to the limit of its possibilities" in trying to reach an agreement at this month's summit in Brussels and said he hoped other countries that had been "hesitant" to compromise will now move.
"There have been other partners who have been reluctant to join us, for example on majority voting, on justice and home affairs. I think it's something we're able to get if everyone's willing to compromise," he said.
The Taoiseach said in Berlin that he was now a little more optimistic about the chances of a deal at the summit, but warned that much remained to be done.
"We cannot take it for granted. Some people still have some problems and difficulties, we have to accommodate those, but they have to be realistic", he said.
Meanwhile European Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen said in Berlin that Poland was set to back a deal over voting power. "That can and that will work, and that certainly is also in Poland's interest," he said.