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Germany, UK Court Sarkozy in EU Dispute

French president could be be key to European constitution

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted May 17, 2007 6:43 AM CDT

(Newser) – Hours after Nicolas Sarkozy became president of France, both Germany and Britain began wooing him—Germany to win his support for a European constitution, Britain to secure his opposition to it. Sarkozy immediately huddled with Angela Merkel, the German chancellor who has been lobbying hold-outs with one-on-one talks, the London Times reports.

France rejected the constitution in a referendum in 2005 but 18 other countries ratified it. Sarkozy is expected to play a key role in negotiating changes that could make an agreement more palatable to the five EU sceptics—Britain, Poland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Denmark.

The President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy holds a press statement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the chancellery in Berlin, Wednesday, May 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Franka Bruns)
The President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy holds a press statement with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the chancellery in Berlin, Wednesday, May 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Franka Bruns)   (Associated Press)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers his speech during a ceremony to pay homage to 35 young French Resistance who where killed  by German Gestapo at the end of WWII in Paris' Bois de Boulogne, Wednesday, May 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers his speech during a ceremony to pay homage to 35 young French Resistance who where killed by German Gestapo at the end of WWII in Paris' Bois de Boulogne, Wednesday,...   (Associated Press)
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