Irish PM set for Finnish, Swedish talks on EU treaty

(DUBLIN) - Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen will travel to Helsinki and Stockholm later this week for talks on a possible road-map for the stalled EU reform treaty, his office said on Monday.

Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty in a referendum in June forced the European Union to put its plans for structural reform on hold.

The Dublin government is mulling whether to hold a second vote and is expected to decide by an EU summit in Brussels on December 11-12.

Cowen's office said he would meet Finnish Prime Minister Matti Taneli Vanhanen on Thursday to discuss the treaty, as well as the EU's climate change and energy package and the international financial crisis.

When in Helsinki, Cowen also hopes to call on President Tarja Halonen.

He will travel to Stockholm for talks Friday with Swedish Prime Minister John Fredrik Reinfeldt, that are also expected to cover Sweden's priorities for the revolving six months presidency of the EU which it takes over next July.

Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said Ireland was seeking a guarantee from EU partners on retaining its commissioner in Brussels.

Martin was speaking after a poll suggested voters might back the Lisbon treaty if it was put to a second referendum with the country being allowed to keep its commissioner.

Ireland may also seek clarifying declarations that backing the treaty would not lead to the introduction of abortion, affect Ireland's policy of military neutrality or its low corporation tax regime.

After Irish voters rejected the Nice Treaty in 2001, the result was overturned the following year in a second referendum when clarifying declarations were given by other member states.