European Union leaders made clear on Wednesday that they would not let Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, hold them hostage by continuing to delay his signature of the Lisbon treaty, a package of reforms approved by all 27 EU governments.
Fredrik Reinfeldt, prime minister of Sweden, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said he was ready to start formal consultations on picking the EU’s first full-time president – a post foreseen under Lisbon – even before Mr Klaus signed the treaty.
