Parliament approves EU treaty

LONDON (Reuters) - Parliament completed ratification of the European Union treaty on Wednesday, the first country to do so since Irish voters plunged the bloc into turmoil by rejecting the treaty in a referendum.

The Lisbon treaty passed through the House of Lords after members of the upper chamber rejected moves by opposition Conservative Party peers to halt the ratification process because of the Irish "No" vote.

The treaty will receive royal assent later on Wednesday or early on Thursday, bringing it into law, the government said.

The Lords' decision comes on the eve of a two-day EU summit in Brussels where leaders will ponder how to respond to Ireland's rejection of a document designed to streamline decision-making in the enlarged 27-member bloc.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has faced a barrage of calls since the Irish vote to suspend the ratification process and declare the treaty dead, or hold a referendum on it, but he has refused to do so.

"We respect the decision of the Irish. They have asked to have more time to discuss what their proposals will be to deal with this situation," he told parliament on Wednesday.

"They have not suggested either that they wish to postpone the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty for other countries or that they wish to stall the whole process," he added.

The Lords defeated a Conservative bid to delay the treaty's ratification by 277 votes to 184 after several hours of debate, disturbed at one point by shouts from protesters in the public gallery who wanted to stop the treaty's passage.

Britain has made it clear it understands that the treaty cannot be implemented unless all 27 member states ratify it.

Ministers have also said they oppose the option of some EU states going ahead with the others while Ireland is left out, saying this would produce a two-speed Europe.