Irish PM Cowan says that he will not win a second referendum to ratify the Lisbon Treaty u less assurance made to Ireland in order to garner favor are added to the Treaty. The Treaty was voted down last year as have most EU referendums that have been put before the voters rather than before legislators.

The Lisbon Treaty calls for a common EU foreign policy and a permanent president. It is a watered-down version of the EU constitution, which went down in flames at the ballot box in 2005.