French President Jacques Chirac on Friday congratulated German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Germany's ratification of the EU constitutional treaty, two days ahead the French referendum on the treaty.

In a letter to Schroeder released by Chirac's office, the French president said "Our two countries have always worked hand- in-hand to help Europe move forward, and they will continue to do so."

"On the eve of the French people's vote, Germany's decision takes on a particular and symbolic importance that I would like to salute," he said.

"Germany and France wanted and largely inspired this constitution, a treaty that will allow Europe to be stronger, more democratic, more efficient, more 'social'," he added.

By an overwhelming vote in its upper-house Bundesrat, Germany became Friday the ninth member state of the European Union (EU) to ratify the constitution after Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

The EU constitutional treaty must be approved by all 25 EU member states and aims at simplifying decision-making in the European Union following last year's expansion of the bloc to the post-communist east and the Mediterranean.

Source: Xinhua