Irish Greens split on EU treaty

By Andras Gergely

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's Greens on Saturday failed to agree on whether to support or reject the EU's reform treaty, but they said it would not affect their alliance with Prime Minister Bertie Ahern's coalition, which backs the accord.

A motion in favour of supporting the treaty received 63 percent of votes at the party's convention, but failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass it.

"It's now open to all members of the party to campaign as they see fit," Green Party leader John Gormley told reporters after the vote.

"I will be campaigning for a 'yes' vote. There is no implication whatsoever for the stability of the government," he added.

Ireland is the only country in the 27-nation European Union to hold a referendum to ratify the treaty this year, while others plan parliamentary votes.

A "no" vote in the country of 4 million could topple the entire project to reform the bloc's institutions after years of diplomatic wrangling.

The Greens only have 6 seats in Ireland's 166-seat Dail (lower house), but an outright rejection of the treaty would have been seen as an embarrassment for the governing coalition.

Earlier on Saturday, Green leaders had urged members to back the treaty but many in the party have opposed it over fears it will endanger Ireland's traditional military neutrality.