Peter Sissons also talked to Major General Tim Cross

Peter Sissons hosted Breakfast with Frost on 25 May 2003. Sir David Frost will be back next Sunday.

Among other guests, he spoke exclusively to the President of the European Convention, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, about the final draft of the EU constitution he will present to heads of government at next month's European Council meeting.

Mr Giscard d'Estaing, the former French Prime Minister, said he had "no idea" why the fierce campaign against the European Union constitution had been launched.

He said: "The idea of offending or destroying Britain is nonsense."

He said he knew the convention was engaged in a "difficult debate" and that there was "no simple answer", but the draft would be "informed - improved" by his recent discussions with Tony Blair.

"I did set out at the beginning of the convention that I would not ignore at all the British point of view - even the British sensitivity," he said. "Some words have for the British a symbolic importance."

He said the word "federal" would "probably" be replaced, and addressed the sensitive issue of taxation by saying: "We will not propose any harmonisation of taxation."

Britain's long-standing problems with Europe came about because "you never made up your mind", Mr Giscard d'Estaing said.

"Britain never considered Europe as a full option. It wanted to be in Europe and to have all the options... the special relationship with the US."

Britain had to make up its mind "in the next years - not now, not by now", he continued. "I would say if you want as a wish to be a leading country in Europe... I think you should make up your mind in the next 10 years."

Europe should be a "strong community of people, peaceful, tolerant... open to the rest of the world", he added. "Superstate no. A strong, orderly organisation of nation states."

With regard to the name, Mr Giscard d'Estaing said he believed United Europe was "more poetic" than European Union, but confirmed that the name "will remain the same".

Just two points were vital to the new constitution, he said, adding: "One point is to have a stable presidency of the system - not the presidency of Europe, a presidency of the Council."

He said the rotating presidency system, which exists currently, makes it impossible to look beyond the next six months, and a fixed presidency is needed to have a longer view. Asked if the post could be held by Mr Blair, he said there might be a British president in the future.

The second point referred to common foreign policy. "Not to impose a common foreign policy but to create the conditions of having common positions and postures," he said. "We should be a stronger Europe, better organised. Not to compete, not to antagonise but just to have confidence in what we are and where we stand in the world of today."

Mr Giscard d'Estaing also said the holding of a referendum was a "British issue", but he was "very wary" of any draining away of the powers of national parliaments. "We need democratic legitimacy and the democratic legitimacy is enshrined in our national parliaments," he said.

Peter Hain MP

Peter Sissons also interviewed Michael Ancram, Shadow Foreign Affairs Spokesman. Mr Ancram confirmed his party's view that the government must allow the British people to consent to the changes in a referendum.

Peter Sissons also spoke to Peter Hain, the cabinet minister leading Britain's delegation to the European Convention. Mr Hain said that recent cabinet meetings about the single currency had been "very amicable" and to rule out joining the euro would be "disastrous for Britain". He said such a move would consign Britain to "isolation".

Peter Sissons also talked to Oxfam's representative in Iraq, Alex Renton, about how the aid agencies are coping with looking after the people in the aftermath of war.

Mr Renton urged the coalition troops to do all they could to restore order to the country, adding that security was fundamental for aid workers to be able to do their jobs best of their ability.

Major General Tim Cross

This discussion was followed by an interview with Major General Tim Cross, deputy head of the Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, who agreed that security, particularly in Baghdad, continued to be a problem and that more "work needs to be done".

Major Cross said he believed good progress was being made, but conceded that the task of bringing peace to Iraq after Saddam Hussein's fall had been underestimated.

Sir Bob Geldof

Finally, Peter discussed the humanitarian crisis in Africa with Sir Bob Geldof. Sir Bob is going to Ethiopia tomorrow for a week long trip deliberately planned ahead of next weekend's summit of G8 leaders. He is urging the world leaders to ensure Africa is high up on the agenda for the summit.

Former Conservative MP Gyles Brandreth and broadcaster Sue MacGregor joined Peter for his review of the Sunday newspapers.

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