European Union (EU) foreign ministers meet on Monday and Tuesday in Luxembourg to examine the consequences of the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.
The Irish "No" vote is also expected to dominate the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
The EU faces a real problem as there is no quick fix for the impasse. So far 18 member states have ratified the Lisbon Treaty, which will make key EU institutional reforms possible and streamline decision making.
The treaty, signed in December 2007 by leaders of all EU member states, needs ratification by all 27 member states to enter into force. Ireland is the only country that is legally obliged to hold a referendum on it.
The Irish on Thursday voted down the treaty with 53.4 percent against and 46.6 in favor, a margin larger than expected.
The Irish "No" vote dealt yet another serious blow to the EU after the rejection of the EU constitution by France and the Netherlands in referendums in 2006. The Lisbon Treaty was designed to salvage most parts of the constitution.
The EU has refused to declare the Lisbon Treaty dead and has wanted the ratification process to continue elsewhere in the bloc.
At the EU summit, Ireland's new Prime Minister Brian Cowen would be asked to offer his opinion on the chances of holding a new referendum. Cowen said Sunday he had not ruled out or ruled in anything.
Concerns are that a second referendum may end up in failure as well, bringing humiliation to both Ireland and the EU.
"It is far too early for proffering any solutions or proposals," Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said upon arrival in Luxembourg on Monday. "There are no quick-fix solutions."
Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, who chairs the foreign ministers' meeting, said it was up to Dublin to come up with an idea. "I don't have any solutions," he said.
Source: Xinhua
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