Brussels - Top European Union officials were set to put the pressure on the Czech Republic to sign the bloc's stalled Lisbon Treaty on Wednesday, as they prepared to meet Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer in Brussels. "The message is that we need the Lisbon Treaty, we want to get it in place (...) by the end of the Swedish (EU) presidency" at the end of the year, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said as he arrived in Brussels.
Eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus has not yet signed the treaty, which is meant to streamline the EU, even though both houses of the Czech parliament have approved it.
In the wake of last weekend's "Yes" vote in the Irish referendum on the treaty, the EU is keen to bring it into force by the end of the year - something it can only do once Klaus has signed.
"We understand that we need to show respect for this ratification process in the Czech Republic, so that's why are here, to assess the situation," Reinfeldt, who called the meeting immediately after the Irish result was known, said.
Klaus has maintained a studied silence on his intentions. The Czech constitutional court is currently reviewing a legal challenge to the treaty, and has forbidden him to sign until the process is complete.
"The lights are onto the constitutional court in Prague," Reinfeldt acknowledged.
But at the same time, he admitted that the presidency is already drawing up contingency plans in case either the court rejects the treaty, or it and Klaus both approve it.
"We have to be on full speed on everything that we can prepare so that we are well prepared once we get the judgement," he said.
In a highly unusual move, Reinfeldt suggested that he and Fischer both travel to Brussels to discuss the situation with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
According to diplomatic sources, the suggestion came after days of pressure from EU heavyweight France to call a full EU summit on the ratification issue.
Analysts see Wednesday's meeting as an attempt to put indirect pressure on Klaus by enlisting domestic Czech support for the treaty.
On Saturday, Barroso said that he had also discussed the Lisbon issue with the leaders of the Czech Republic's two biggest political parties, Mirek Topolanek and Jiri Paroubek.
In an interview with French daily Le Monde on Tuesday, Reinfeldt said that he had tried to call Klaus to discuss the issue, but had not managed to reach him.
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski has also not yet signed the treaty. However, before the Irish vote he confirmed that he would do so if Ireland voted "Yes".
