That will be a more difficult message to push in the wake of Giscard d'Estaing's remarks.

BBC: Analysis

Mr Giscard d'Estaing's people, however, hope that the convention's deliberations will give the constitution enough legitimacy and coherence to withstand revision.

ECONOMIST: The European Union's convention

The intergovernmental conference to consider Mr Giscard d'Estaing's constitution is supposed to wind up in 2003 before the new members join the Union.

ECONOMIST: The European Union's convention