Prague - Czech President Vaclav Klaus has confirmed that the British Conservative leader David Cameron had sent him a letter on a plan to hold a British referendum on the European Union's Lisbon reform treaty if the conservatives win next year's British election and the pact has not yet been adopted. That could throw a spanner in the works of the progress of the treaty, which must be approved by all 27 member states.
According to current opinion polls, Cameron's Conservative Party is seen as the likely winner of the election, which must take place by May 2010.
Ireland is to hold its own, second, referendum on the treaty next month, after a first poll last year resulted in a 'no' vote.
Klaus, an outspoken critic of the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline decision-making in the enlarged EU, could help Cameron to execute his plan by delaying the Czech signing of the pact until the British general election.
Klaus' signature is the last step required for Czech ratification.
The treaty would become valid only after all 27 EU member states ratify it. The EU hopes that it would come to force on January 1.
While attending the United Nations' General Assembly in New York, Klaus told public broadcaster Czech Television late Wednesday that he received a letter from the Tory leader outlining the referendum plan.
"That letter was delivered to me ... as the evidence that the Conservatives are serious about it. I accepted it as such evidence," Klaus said.
However, the Eurosceptic president, who said earlier that he would be the last one in Europe to make up his mind on the accord, told the station that the letter is not likely to affect his decision.
"I do not think that it would influence my stance towards the treaty," he said.
While the letter was reportedly sent several weeks ago, its existence was first reported on Wednesday by British right-wing newspaper The Daily Mail - nine days before a new Irish referendum on the pact set for October 2.
Besides approval from Ireland, the pact awaits ratification in Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland.
German President Horst Koehler is expected to sign the treaty later this week, while Polish President Lech Kaczynski would likely do so soon if the Irish voters give the treaty the green light.
But the ratification is likely to face further hurdles in the Czech Republic.
A group of anti-treaty senators said they plan to lodge another constitutional complaint against the treaty next Tuesday, and Klaus said he would not decide on whether to approve the pact before the court's ruling.
It remains unclear how long the top court would take to examine the planned challenge. Its 15 judges took more than a half year to decide on the first such challenge in 2008.
