Poland ready to veto EU charter talks-paper

WARSAW, June 9 (Reuters) Poland is ready to veto the opening of talks on the stalled European Union constitution unless its EU partners agree to discuss Polish proposals on the bloc's voting system, daily Dziennik reported today.

Dziennik quoted Polish officials as saying Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski had decided to veto the formal launch of the talks, the so-called inter-governmental conference, unless he gets his way at the EU's June 21-22 summit in Brussels.

''We will stand by the position that opening the inter-governmental conference is not worth it if elements of Poland's stance aren't part of the (negotiating) mandate,'' Marek Cichocki, foreign policy adviser to Kaczynski's twin brother and Poland's president Lech, told the paper.

Most EU nations do not want to re-open talks on the voting system as part of efforts to revive the EU charter, which aims to streamline decision-making in the 25-member bloc.

Under the previous leftist administration in power until 2005, Poland accepted the voting system enshrined in the constitution, but the Kaczynski brothers say Warsaw was short-changed.

They said the document as it stands would weaken Poland's position and favour big countries such as neighbouring Germany.

''If there isn't a will to conduct further talks on this matter (the voting system), Poland will use a veto,'' said Adam Bielan, a spokesman for the ruling Law and Justice party.

Next week will see intensive diplomacy in Warsaw when Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero visit on June 11, 14 and 15 respectively.

Last month, Poland appeared to be easing its opposition to the proposed treaty, when Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga said she was ''moderately optimistic'' about its chances.

Poland is among the countries that have the most difficulty with the EU constitution, along with Britain, the Czech Republic, France and the Netherlands.

Reuters AE RN1547