The European Union's draft Constitution, which Convention for the Future of Europe President Valery Giscard d'Estaing will submit to the European leaders at the EU summit in Halkidiki on Friday, is considered ''a good basis of negotiations for the start of the negotiations of the Intergovernmental Conference.''
  The EU summit draft resolution, according to information made known to the Athens News Agency, stresses that the European Council calls on the Italian presidency to start the relevant procedures in order for the Intergovernmental Conference to start in October and be completed ''as soon as possible and before the Euroelections of June 2004,'' with the participation on an equal footing of the new EU countries.
  The draft resolution also states that the new constitutional treaty should be signed by all the member states as soon as possible after May 1, 2004.
  Regarding the sessions of the Intergovernmental Conference, it is clarified that the member countries will participate on a level of heads of state and government, accompanied by the members of the General Affairs Council and the Foreign Relations Council, while a representative of the European Commission will also take part.

Source: Athens News Agency

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