Poland threatens delay to EU treaty talks

WARSAW, Oct 18 (Reuters) Poland's President Lech Kaczynski threatened today that talks to finalise a new EU treaty could be delayed if Polish demands were not met at a summit in Lisbon.

''We don't want anything more than is our right,'' Kaczynski told Polish radio before leaving for the summit which is starting today..

When asked what would happen at the talks if Polish demands were not met, Kaczynski replied: ''We will have to delay the discussion''.

Warsaw's main demand is to include in the treaty, or as a protocol, a provision allowing groups of countries that are just short of a blocking minority to delay a decision for a ''reasonable time'' -- in practice several months.

REUTERS AE ND1408