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France says ‘yes’ to Maastricht Treaty by narrow margin
PARIS, Sept 20: Frane,*, by ■ narrow margin, today said ■yes' to the Maastricht,Treaty on a unified Europe, erfmputer projections on early returns conducted by the country's two main television Artworks showed, reports AFP.E
The private TF 1/ network had it 51.5 for thef'yes' vote and the state-run F&nce-2 51 percent, respectively.
The projections have proved highly acnurate past electoral exercises.
The third main television
station, France-3, also staterun. said the yes' had garnered 51.49 per cent of the vote.
Turnout was estimated at 70 per cent by French television.
AP adds: Earlier, with its allies watching anxiously, France voted-Sunday In a referendum determining whether Western Europe strides toward or steps back from closer political and economic union.
Defeat of the union treaty could unleash renewed turmoil
in world financial markets, damage the stature of French and other European leaders who promoted the accord. and force the European Commu nlty into a fundamental reassessment of Its future.
By noon (IOOO GMT). four hours after polling stations opened, 20.5 -per cent of France's 38.3 million registered voters has cast ballots — almost the same voting pace as in 1988 parliamentary balloting. The referendum was widely viewed as having more
fntcrnattonal ramifications than any election in French history.
Voting was to end at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT). Projections were expected within minutes, and fairly comprehensive results within hours, though the official result was expected no earlier than Monday, after ballots in far-flung overseas departments were counted.
Voters were deciding whether France should ratify the Maastricht treaty, designed to unite the 12-natlou
EC In common economic, foreign and defence policies and a single currency by 1999.
Rejection by France, which had been the driving force for unity along with Germany, would doom the treaty, already defeated by Danish voters in June.
A ‘yes' victory would keep alive the EC's hopes of becoming an economic and political superpower. However, the closely contested campaign in France and the recent currency chaos have raised seri-
ous doubts about whether the Maastricht process can proceed without an overhaul
President Francois Mitter rand, resting from Sept 11 surgery that revealed he has prostate cancer, voted along with his wife tn his home base of Chateau Chlnon, 225 kilometres (140 miles) southeast of Paris.
Mitterrand. 75. took a gam ble in June by calling the referendum instead of seeking almost-certain parliamentary ratification of the treaty.