By Francois Murphy
PARIS (Reuters) - Polish President Lech Kaczynski increasedthe problems facing the European Union on the first day ofFrance's presidency of the bloc on Tuesday, saying he will notsign the Union's reform treaty for now.
Kaczynski said it would be "pointless" signing the treatyfollowing its rejection by Irish voters in a referendum on June12. The treaty, intended to overhaul the bloc's institutions,needs the backing of all 27 member states to come into force.
Kaczynski, a Eurosceptic, has long opposed the treaty buthis comments highlighted the problems facing President NicolasSarkozy at the start of France's six-month tenure of the EU'srotating presidency.
Asked by the daily Dziennik if he would sign the treaty --the last step needed for full ratification in Poland -- hesaid: "This is now pointless. But it is difficult to say howthis whole thing will end."
Poland's parliament gave the green light to the treaty inApril. Kaczynski delayed signing it but had previously saidratification by Poland was a foregone conclusion.
He compared the bloc's situation to 2005 when French andDutch voters rejected a more far-reaching EU constitution,which was later reworked into the Lisbon Treaty.
"The bloc functioned, functions and will go on functioning.It's not perfect but such a complicated structure cannot beperfect," Kazynski said.
SARKOZY PLEDGES
Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty for reasons rangingfrom the fact they considered the text incomprehensible toconcerns it would bring higher taxes or legalised abortion.
The treaty is intended to give the EU a strongerleadership, a more effective foreign policy and a fairerdecision-making system. It would create a powerful new foreignpolicy chief and a president of the European Council, itshighest political body.
EU member states are pressing on with the ratificationprocess despite the Irish voters' rejection. But CzechPresident Vaclav Klaus has already said Ireland's rejectionmeans there is no sense in other countries continuing to ratifythe treaty.
The Irish "No" vote scuppered any hope of the agreementSarkozy helped broker coming into force on schedule on Jan 1.
In a one-hour live televised interview on Monday, Sarkozysaid he would seek to address voters' concerns about the EU bypushing for tax breaks on products ranging from petrol to greengoods and restaurants with table service.
But he told France 3 television: "Things are not goingwell. Things are not going well at all."
EU leaders meeting in October are due to hear fromIreland's prime minister on how to move forward after the "No"vote.
Officials say the only plan in the works is to make theIrish vote again but politicians have avoided saying so inpublic. Sarkozy will travel to Dublin on July 11 for talks.
Sarkozy pledged to "protect" EU citizens during France'spresidency to try to make the bloc more relevant to everydaylife, but offered few new measures.
(Reporting by Gabriela Kaczynska and Francois Murphy;Writing by Timothy Heritage; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
