German axis was no longer as fundamental to European development as it once was. "It is no longer possible to run Europe the way it used to be run," Blair noted. Blair also called for a "pause for reflection" on the E.U. constitution following its rejection in France and Holland, another point of difference with Chirac, who has said he wants the ratification process to continue. "You can't have a No vote (on the constitution) and just put it aside and carry on as usual," Blair said. He suggested that if referenda on the treaty were held in different parts of Europe, "the answer would be no". "It is sensible to have a pause for reflection over a period of a few months, to give Europe the debate it wants and needs," Blair said. However, the British prime minister described himself as "a passionate European, never a eurosceptic", and described the E.U. constitution as "a perfectly sensible set of rules for Europe". --SP 2337 Local Time 2037 GMT
