Smith goes to Paris for private 'summit'

PRESIDENT Mitterrand has held a private, one-to-one meeting with the Labour leader, John Smith, amid growing fears in France about Britain's failure to ratify the Maastricht treaty.

The meeting, which was held at the Elysee on Friday at the French president's request, was not publicised.

Mr Mitterrand - Europe's most senior Socialist politician and one of the principal architects of the treaty - asked for a full explanation of Labour's cliff- hanging opposition to the Government's Maastricht Bill.

His keenness to meet the Opposition leader - with the French elections only two days away - reflects acute and growing fears on the Continent that an alliance of Labour and Tory backbenchers will scupper the treaty. Some EC socialists fear that the campaign to bring the Social Chapter into the treaty could jeopardise the closer European union which Labour supports.

Labour, however, claimed yesterday the President's full backing for its position. While Mr Smith is committed to the treaty, its passage through Parliament has provided opportunities to weaken the Government. With the Liberal Democrats and rebel Tories, Labour recently inflicted a Commons defeat on the Government over representation on the Committee of the Regions. It expects a further victory over amendment 27, which covers the Social Chapter from which Britain has opted out.

According to a spokesman for the Labour leader, Mr Mitterrand said 'that he does want the Maastricht treaty ratified and understood that the party conference had made clear that the party backed the treaty, but that he totally shares our view that the Social Chapter is vital for the balanced development of Europe'.

Some European socialists, however, argue that Labour should sacrifice the temporary loss of the Social Chapter, which could be reintroduced if Labour wins power.

Senior government ministers have been hoping that Mr Mitterrand, and Felipe Gonzalez, Prime Minister of Spain, could persuade Mr Smith not to obstruct the Bill.

Yesterday, Tristan Garel- Jones, Foreign Office minister, described Tory and Labour opponents of Maastricht as 'Euro- nihilists'.

However, James Cran, Conservative MP for Beverley, and leading Euro-rebel, threatened a legal challenge if the Government lost amendment 27 but still went ahead and ratified the treaty.

(Photograph omitted)