7 EU Nations Ask for Mention of Christianity in Constitution

WARSAW, Poland, MAY 21, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Seven countries of the European Union are asking that the Constitutional Treaty make reference to the continent’s Christian roots, a spokesman for the Polish Foreign Ministry said.

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The seven countries — Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia — sent their request in a letter to the rotating EU presidency, now held by Ireland.

The signatories state in the text that the list is not final and hope that «other countries will adhere to this initiative.»

The letter adds that «the governments of those countries consider as a priority the recognition of the Christian tradition in the Preamble» and request that the issue be addressed «in the next meeting of the intergovernmental conference,» Agence France-Presse reported.

The EU presidency has called a ministerial session for Monday, which will try to resolve the objections to the draft of the Constitution.

The 25 EU countries want to conclude the talks on the future Constitution in a month’s time, at the summit in Brussels on June 17-18.

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ZENIT Staff

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