Dublin Submits Lisbon Demands, EU Partners Worried

A draft text obtained by Reuters outlined what assurances Dublin wants from EU partners at a summit later this week.

Ireland sought assurances from other European Union countries on Monday which Dublin says it needs to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon reform treaty intended to bolster decision making in the EU.

A draft text obtained by Reuters outlined what assurances Dublin wants from EU partners at a summit later this week on issues such as taxation, abortion and military neutrality to help win over Irish voters who rejected the treaty a year ago.

But the draft does not address the concerns of some nations which fear the guarantees could undermine the validity of ratification procedures already completed in most other member states, diplomats said.

"It is still very vague. The real negotiation will start on Tuesday morning, but I would expect the final decision to be made at the highest level on Friday," one EU diplomat involved in preparing the summit told Reuters.

EU envoys will meet in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss on the draft text submitted by Dublin.

Irish voters rejected the treaty last June, tripping up the 27-state EU's plans to streamline decision making and give the bloc a greater voice in world affairs.

The guarantees are designed to address the main concerns of Irish opponents of the Lisbon treaty in last year's referendum campaign.

Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin said earlier on Monday he and his fellow European leaders were on track to have the texts prepared for approval at the meeting of heads of state and government.

Opinion polls suggest the Lisbon treaty now has the support of most of the Irish electorate, many of whom who look to Europe as a shield in the financial crisis.