Finnish, Portuguese leaders optimistic on EU constitution
Portuguese and Finnish leaders were upbeat about the troubled European Union Constitution on Monday, and said they would try to help find new wording for the charter that was rejected last year by voters in France and Netherlands. "I don't think that it's (the constitution) dead," said Matti Vanhanen, the prime minister of Finland, which takes over the rotating presidency of the EU in July from Austria. "We must look forward, and I believe most of the people in Europe understand that we need a new treaty."Visiting Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates also expressed optimism.
"I don't believe that the constitution is dead. Europe needs a constitutional treaty in order to go further. If it's not this exact text, we'll have to find something," Socrates said, after three-hour talks with Vanhanen. "We will do our best, me and the prime minister (Vanhanen), to get a text as soon as we can," he added.
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