EU Reform: Sarkozy Tackles Dublin Over Lisbon

It lasted less than six hours and turned out to be one of the most unusual visits by any foreign head of state to Ireland since independence from Britain.

Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Dublin yesterday not only to thrash out a way forward for the EU Lisbon reform treaty with the taoiseach, Brian Cowen, but also to meet an array of political and social pressure groups concerned over Europe's future.

France's president, who is the current head of the EU, angered Cowen's government last week when he told a private meeting of his UMP party in Paris that Ireland would have to hold a second referendum on the treaty, which the Irish electorate rejected in last month's plebiscite.

But yesterday, the Elysée Palace said in a statement that Sarkozy would "respect the result of the Irish referendum".

Just before lunching with Cowen, he was met with cries of "No means No" from hundreds of protesters including groups such as the Campaign Against the EU Constitution and members of the Irish Farmers' Association. One protester was taken away by the Gardai after two eggs were thrown in Sarkozy's direction.

Sarkozy courted more controversy by hosting discussions with anti-EU campaigners. Inside the French embassy, he granted 21 parties and lobby groups three minutes each to state their case yesterday. They ranged from anti-Lisbon parties such as Sinn Féin to far left groups. A few pro-EU organizations such as IBEC, Ireland's version of the CBI, were also invited.

Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin's leader, was understood to have told Sarkozy that the treaty was now dead. The media, however, was denied any access to the face-to-face confrontation at the French embassy.

The Fine Gael and labor leaders were later given separate one-to-one meetings with Sarkozy in government buildings.

At a joint press conference with Cowen, during which he referred to his host as "my friend Brian", Sarkozy said he trusted the taoiseach "to help us to understand the reasons why the Irish voted No". Sarkozy said that while he respected the Irish electorate's decision, Ireland must note that "24 countries will soon have ratified the Lisbon treaty." He said there was "no magic wand" to solve the crisis that the Irish vote has created in the EU reform process. Asked about Sarkozy's Paris remarks last week, Cowen said: "The Irish government for its part has made no decision on a second referendum."

The taoiseach said he wanted to hold a "national consultation process" over Europe and the concerns of the Irish public about the EU before making any further decisions on Lisbon.

Irish government officials have told the Guardian that Dublin is considering going back to the electorate, possibly in March, for a second referendum on Lisbon.