The Treaty of Nice

Afri welcomes rejection of Nice Treaty

AfrI has welcomed the rejection of the Nice Treaty by the Irish people. Joe Murray, AfrI co-ordinator, called the vote "a decisive rejection of militarism". "People were alarmed that we were being sucked into a European army and they voted to reverse that process", Mr Murray said, adding that the government must respect the people's wishes in its response to the vote.

Afri expressed regret and disappointment at the Government's decision to rush the referendum, a decision which resulted in a truncated debate and a consequent low turn-out of voters.

"In recent years, the government has signed us up to NATO's Partnership for Peace without allowing us the referendum they promised, and with the Nice Treaty they tried to copper-fasten that by committing us to a NATO-EU army - the people have said enough is enough", Mr Murray stated. He went on to say that what was now needed was a thorough and honest debate about Irish defence and security policy.

"The Irish people do not want us to become ever more associated with aggressive military alliances", according to Mr Murray, "and the government now has to come up with a more progressive security policy genuinely committed to conflict prevention and resolution".

Afri will be happy to meet the Government and Opposition parties to contribute to the development of such policies, the statement concluded.

Contact:
Joe Murray:087 4106735 or Mark Doris: 087 2969742

Review of Ireland's military policies required following Nice Vote

THE TREATY OF NICE, NATO AND A EUROPEAN ARMY:
IMPLICATIONS FOR IRELAND
Andy Storey (Afri), April 2001

'Proclamation'

'Proclamation' calls for No vote in Nice Treaty
From the Irish Times April 2001

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