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Chirac Supports "European Constitution"
French President Jacques Chirac Tuesday expressed his support for the idea of drafting a "European Constitution" as the next step in the process of European integration.
In a speech addressed to the German parliament (Bundstag) at the Reichstag in Berlin, Chirac said that "after a period of time the (European) governments and people would be called on to give their points of view" on a European Constitution, according to local media reports.
Chirac made the declaration four days ahead of France's assumption of the six-month European Union (EU) rotating presidency.
He also supported the idea of building a "pioneer group" of European countries which want to go further and faster in their political and economic integration.
This is the first time for the French president to formally support a German proposal on drafting a European Constitution.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said on May 12 that Europe must have a constitution, a directly elected executive and a two-chamber parliament if it wants to go ahead in its integration process.
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