Sir, - In recent days, Irish Greens have been accused of being out of step with their fellow Greens in Europe because of their opposition to the Treaty of Nice. This is not the case. Many of us, from a number of different member-states, share their concerns that the Nice Treaty will create a European army and a European superstate.
These are very real fears. President Prodi himself has confirmed them: "When I was talking about the European army I was not joking. If you don't want to call it a European army, don't call it a European army. You can call it `Margaret', you can call it `MaryAnn' "'. But the fact remains that it will be an army. Yet the militarisation of Europe is both dangerous and unnecessary. It is also unaccountable, since - extraordinarily - an EU military force will not be subject to UN mandate.
Nice also brings in a two-tier EU with an inner group that can forge ahead with integration, even if the rest of the member-states disagree. This will ensure that no member-state can prevent the EU becoming in time an EU superstate.
Moreover, it is simply untrue to suggest that a Yes vote is necessary to support enlargement. A No vote does not stop enlargement. On the contrary, it would ensure that the enlargement process became one that genuinely addressed the needs of people from central and eastern Europe, and that treated new EU member-states as equals.
The European Union already faces a major crisis of confidence, as the woefully low turnout in the 1999 European Elections demonstrated. People will only engage with an EU that is relevant to their everyday lives, and which they feel is democratic and accountable. The Nice Treaty is moving in precisely the opposite direction.
We urge the people of Ireland to vote No, and in doing so, to send a clear message to the rest of the EU that we demand a far more inclusive and democratic Europe. - Yours, etc,.
Caroline Lucas MEP, (Green, UK), Per Gahrton MEP, (Green, Sweden), Ilka Schroder MEP, (Green, Germany), European Parliament Office, Brussels, Belgium.