New EU treaty may force UK or France to give up UN seat: Think tank

The fine print of a new European Union treaty may force the exit of Britain from the UN Security Council, a leading European think-tank has warned.

London, Aug.16 : The fine print of a new European Union treaty may force the exit of Britain from the UN Security Council, a leading European think-tank has warned.

According to the Skeptika Group, there is a paragraph in the treaty, signed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, which provides for the exit of either Britain or France.

The excerpt quoted by Skeptika says that the EU would take the place of Britain and France - the only two European states who are permanent members of the Security Council - in cases where it had set out a common position.

The Daily Mail quoted Lee Rotherham of Skeptika as saying, "The new treaty makes clear that Britain will have to give up its seat on the Security Council on issues where the EU has taken a common position. This is an extraordinary surrender of national sovereignty."

The Foreign Office insisted the UK would not lose its seat. It has listed on its website that this is one of "10 myths" about the constitution.

A spokesman said: "The UN Charter does not allow international organisations like the EU to hold a seat on the Security Council.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague has described the moves as "clearly the thin end of the wedge for an EU takeover of our only seat".

ANI