PRESS CONFERENCE:FRENCH PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy denied ever saying Ireland would be obliged to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
the president's reported comment last week caused a storm of protest in Ireland but yesterday he sought to explain away the difficulty by stating that the Irish "had to be given the opportunity to give their opinion" at some future stage on a question that had "yet to be determined".
At a joint press conference with Taoiseach Brian Cowen at Government Buildings, Mr Sarkozy replied at length and in detail to a question on whether he stood by his reported comment and if, as his visit came to an end, he now understood the anger it had caused.
"I never said that Ireland had to organise a new referendum. I said that at some stage or another the Irish had to be given the opportunity to give their opinion," Mr Sarkozy said, speaking in French.
"I never said there had to be a referendum," he repeated. "I didn't say on what question there would be a vote and I did not in any way meddle in Irish domestic affairs.
"There's no reason to be angry when you say to a people, to a nation, at some stage or another, on a given question that has yet to be determined and within a given timeframe, you will have to be consulted.
"In a democracy that's the very least one can do, and if that makes you angry, sir, it's that there is a lot of tension around, but there can be no tension between France and Ireland for a start, because we are friends, because we have common interests.
"To come to Ireland would be to meddle? Not to come would be indifferent! What would you, the Irish press, rather? Meddling or indifference?
"I think that to come shows a spirit of friendship, to show that there is a difficulty and perhaps I can help Brian [Cowen] out of it because this is precisely the difficulty that I was up against in my own country.
"I don't claim to be right on everything, but I've come as a friend to see a friendly nation, a friendly state with which we have common interests, and we have to find and we will find a solution. We need time but we're dealing with it," he said.
Opening the press conference, the Taoiseach said that, "France and Ireland share excellent and close relations at government level". He added that his meeting with the president earlier had been "a very good and useful" one.
"The main focus of our discussions was of course the situation which arises as a result of the vote on the Lisbon Treaty. The president has made clear that he has come here to listen and to gain a greater understanding of why we got the vote that we did.
"I explained that we are now in a process of analysis and consultations, which we hope will lead us to a better understanding of the concerns underpinning the outcome of the referendum.
"We believe that's essential, if we are to work towards resolving the current difficulties in a way that is satisfactory to all 27 member states. And of course I stressed that the vote of the people must be respected.
"The president, for his part, emphasised the importance that he and our European partners attach to implementing reforms contained in the treaty."
Mr Sarkozy said in relation to his visit: "I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet many different people." He expressed his determination "that we should find a solution, all 27 of us [ member states] together".
The president confirmed he would meet the Taoiseach again in Paris in September, before the EU summit the following month.
"We want the Irish people to feel that their choices have been respected and listened to," he said. He was convinced that "we will find a way forward".
"Ireland is passionate about Europe, Ireland has not rejected Europe," Mr Sarkozy added. "I do not regret for one second having come over and I want to express to Brian my feelings of friendship, confidence and support in finding a way out of the situation we find ourselves in."
Asked if he was still persisting in vetoing any enlargement of the EU pending a resolution of issues around the treaty, Mr Sarkozy said the Treaty of Nice provided for a membership of 27 states. "For there to be any further enlargement we must have moved to Lisbon," he said. "It's either Nice or Lisbon."
On the issue of a second referendum, Mr Cowen said: "The Irish Government for its part has made no decision in relation to a second referendum because the Irish Government have just begun a process of reflection, a process of assessment which is necessary now in the aftermath of the vote."
