A chara, - I wish to endorse Cllr Deirdre de Burca's proposal (June 18th) to negotiate a new European Treaty for 2004 guided by national debates and transnational round-tables about what kind of European Union we want.
Elected delegates from each EU member nation should then take the results of such deliberations and convene to draft a new treaty as the basis for all future development. Democracy, equality, accountability, limits on the powers of the EU and respect for national sovereignty should be enshrined in the treaty. EU citizens should then be told of the treaty's contents and requested to accept or reject it in its entirety in national referendums, with the understanding that it could be amended over time by democratic means.
Such a response to the rejection of the Nice Treaty would serve the interests of all EU citizens for generations to come. The Taoiseach can create a great legacy for himself and the Irish electorate by pursuing a new treaty for all the citizens of the EU. Or, he can insult the voters with a second Nice referendum and bring an even greater rebuke upon Ireland after a second No vote. - Is mise,
John Paul O'Driscoll, Prattville, Alabama, USA.