New Irish PM urges voters to say "yes" on EU treaty

By Jonathan Saul

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's new prime minister Brian Cowen on Monday kicked off his party's campaign to urge voters to back the European Union's reform treaty in next month's referendum in his first major test as premier.

Ireland is the only EU state planning a referendum on the treaty, meaning that a "no" vote could sink the project designed to end years of diplomatic wrangling over reform of the bloc's institutions.

"It would be a very backward step to resign from the strategic political positioning we have established in 35 years of (EU) membership," Cowen told reporters. "It would have very serious implications."

In 2001, Irish voters rejected the Nice Treaty designed to enable EU enlargement, forcing the government to hold a second vote that was widely criticised as undemocratic. A second vote is unlikely to be an option in 2008.

A poll over the weekend by Ireland's Sunday Business Post newspaper showed a gain in support for the treaty at 38 percent, up from 35 percent previously. Those who planned to vote "no" dropped to 28 percent, from 31 percent last month. A third of voters remained undecided, unchanged from the last survey.

Dublin was awash on Monday with posters as the June 12 referendum date was officially announced. Many placards called for a "yes" vote, reflecting the backing it has among most of Ireland's political parties as well as business groups.

But a recent poll showed a majority of voters in one of Europe's smallest countries do not understand the treaty, which replaces an EU constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

Cowen took over last week as prime minister after Bertie Ahern stepped down as a corruption investigation began to overshadow the government's work.