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PANA claims Lisbon threatens neutrality

Lisbon referendum - PANA launches campaign
Lisbon referendum - PANA launches campaign

The Peace and Neutrality Alliance has accused Fianna Fáil of destroying the economy and Irish neutrality.

Launching the group's campaign for a No vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum, PANA chairman Roger Cole rejected comments by Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea stating that neutrality is safe under the Lisbon Treaty.

Mr Cole said the reality is that neutrality 'is as safe as the Irish economy has been under Fianna Fáil'.

He said the Lisbon Treaty states that EU mutual defence 'shall be consistent with the mutual defence of a nuclear armed military alliance'.

PANA say that well over 1m US troops have used Shannon Airport on their way to the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.

'Such use is in contravention of the 1907 Hague Convention, which defines in international law the duties and responsibilities of neutral states,' the organisation says.

PANA claims that this situation means Ireland has not been a neutral state 'since February 2003'.

Mr Cole said if PANA is given the space to democratically debate the facts, then the No vote will be even greater on 2 October than in last year's referendum.

The Taoiseach was canvassing for Lisbon on the streets of New Ross in Co Wexford.

His main message was that voting Yes will help restart the economy.

However, Socialist Party MEP Joe Higgins said his party is opposing Lisbon because it does not advance workers' rights and is skewed in favour of big business.

The People Against Profit Alliance's No campaign was launched today by councillor Richard Boyd Barrett.