[JURIST] Polish President Lech Kaczynski [official website, in Polish] assured German Chancellor Angela Merkel [BBC profile] Saturday that Warsaw would not hinder efforts to reach agreement on a European Constitution [JURIST news archive]. Poland joins Spain and Italy in their recent pledge to support Germany in reviving the European charter which stalled in 2005 after being rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands. Many observers nonetheless agree that Merkel will face more difficulty [AFP report] in gaining support from France and Britain by the end of Germany's EU presidency in June. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Sunday she was doubtful the German draft of the constitution would be approved.

Earlier this month British EU Minister Geoff Hoon blamed the term "constitution" [JURIST report] for the slow progress of an official set of EU operating rules. AFP has more.