Sarkozy faces Irish anger as he seeks to chart course for EU reform

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to face anger on the streets, and diplomatic annoyance across the table, when he travels Monday to Ireland to sound out ways of reversing the Irish voters' rejection of the European Union reform treaty. Sarkozy emphasized beforehand he would "come to Dublin to listen and understand" why the Irish voted to reject the Lisbon Treaty and its painstakingly negotiated provisions for reshaping EU institutions and powers. But Irish nationalists to the left and right have accused the reigning president of the European Council of having his mind made up - by declaring last week, to a meeting of his own party's lawmakers, that Ireland must vote again. "Sarkozy, respect the Lisbon vote! No means no," read posters plastering the lampposts of Dublin calling for anti-treaty activists to protest as Sarkozy meets Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen.