Conservatives concede referendum chance dwindling

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - The Conservatives acknowledged on Monday they may not be able to hold a referendum on the European Union's Lisbon treaty now that Czech President Vaclav Klaus has dropped his opposition to signing the treaty.

"I always want to keep alive the prospect for a referendum as long as possible. That's why I've always hoped that President Klaus wouldn't sign the treaty," Conservative leader David Cameron said in a response to a reporter's question.

"But it looks as if times are changing and we will address that just as soon as we need to," he said.

The Conservatives, favourites to win a national election due by next June, have promised to hold a British referendum on the Lisbon treaty if it is not in force across the 27-nation EU if and when they take power.

The Conservatives strongly oppose the treaty, designed to smooth decision-making in Europe, seeing it as a step towards a federal Europe.

If the treaty was in force, Cameron has said he would not let matters rest there, but has refused to say what that means.

One of the last obstacles to the treaty taking effect was removed last week when EU leaders agreed to Klaus's demand to be given an opt-out from the EU human rights charter.

The Czech Republic is the only EU member country not to have ratified the document. The last hurdle to Klaus signing the treaty appears to be a ruling by the Czech Constitutional Court, expected on Tuesday, on a challenge to the treaty.