Portugal pushes for June treaty deal

As incoming EU presidency in the second half of this year, Portugal has made it clear that if there is no significant agreement on a new treaty in six weeks time, it will put the issue on the political back burner for its six month tenure of the bloc.

Portuguese prime minister Jose Socrates said that Berlin, as current EU presidency, will have to secure a "precise mandate" during the EU leaders summit on 21-22 June, otherwise Lisbon would not continue individual negotiations with member...