May 12, 2003	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 9, 1424

BRUSSELS: Just weeks away from the presentation of a draft EU constitution, the fireworks are beginning to fly as debate intensifies on who will wield power in the new-look Union.

Valery Giscard d’Estaing, who heads the body writing a constitutional blueprint, has challenged European Commission chief Romano Prodi to a public debate on his proposal for a new EU president.

But Prodi had already taken up the gauntlet before the former French president presented his challenge in a letter, after first demanding a duel with the commission chief during a French television appearance this week.

“We can promise that there will be ice cream and fireworks for everybody,” Prodi’s spokesman said.

The idea of a figurehead elected by the EU member states, as favoured by Giscard, is held in deep suspicion by smaller countries and by the Commission, which fear a power grab by the heavyweights such as Germany, France and Britain.

The former Italian prime minister wants to continue some form of the present set-up, under which each member state serves a six-month term as president of the European Council, the forum for ministerial and summit meetings of the EU.

Critics including Giscard, who heads the Convention on the future of Europe, say the current system is a mess and will only get worse with the admission of 10 more members of the EU next year.

The EU must have a credible and powerful voice on the world stage in the person of a permanent president, they argue.

Giscard wants a president elected the EU Council who would serve a 30-month mandate, which would be renewable once.

Prodi, who is keen to safeguard the powers of the European Commission in the new EU constitution, has retorted that Giscard would do well to present his ideas for debate in the convention itself before challenging others to televised pow-wows.—AFP