Absorption ability should not be condition for further EU enlargement: Svoboda

The Czech foreign minister, Cyril Svoboda, says the European Union's ability to absorb more countries should not be a condition for further enlargement. Speaking after an EU summit in Brussels, the minister said by absorption ability he meant the question of whether present members can afford the accession of other countries, and whether they could defend further enlargement in their own parliaments. Mr Svoboda called for the doors to enlargement to be "opened fully".

On the issue of ratification of the stalled EU constitution, Minister Svoboda said the process should not continue, given that the document had been rejected by French and Dutch voters. Fifteen EU states have ratified the constitution, while a number of others - including the Czech Republic - have put the issue on hold.