RPT-Czechs oppose French plan to beef up Eurogroup

                                
 (Repeats story published late on Thursday)
                                
 By Jan Lopatka
                                
 PRAGUE, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Incoming EU president the Czech
Republic said on Thursday that French plans to beef up the group
of countries sharing the euro would divide the union rather than
strengthen it.
                                
 And a senior Czech minister, reacting to speculation in the
Czech media triggered by reports of the French plan, said there
was no question of France extending its presidency through 2009,
bypassing the Czechs and later Sweden.
                                
 France's Nicolas Sarkozy suggested on Tuesday that a
stronger Eurogroup would be a better partner for talks with the
European Central Bank, and that heads of euro zone states should
meet regularly to coordinate policy.
                                
 That would exclude the Czech Republic, an EU member since
2004 which is in no rush to adopt the euro. 
                                
 The French newspaper Le Monde has reported that Sarkozy
wants to lead a high-level Eurogroup for the next 12 months
until euro zone member Spain takes over the EU presidency at the
start of 2010, when it could combine the two roles.
                                
 Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra, in a statement, said
regular meetings of Eurogroup leaders under Sarkozy would not be
helpful for Europe.
                                
 "If the Eurogroup agrees to be presided by a Frenchman and
to meet more frequently, most probably we will not be able to
prevent this," he said. "However it would not be a wise move but
one which would divide EU rather then unify it."
                                
 "Bypass is a method used to cure (a heart attack), but is
not a suitable method for cooperation within the EU. The EU,
hopefully, does not suffer from (a heart attack)."
                                
 Vondra, referring to Czech media speculation over the EU
presidency itself, said there could be no talk of the Czech
Republic, which takes over on Jan.1, being passed over.
                                
 "Nobody can take the Presidency away from the Czech
Republic," Vondra said. "Any speculation on extension of the
current Presidency is groundless and unacceptable."
                                
 The Czechs have also not ratified the Lisbon treaty,
designed to streamline decision-making in the bloc, and its
six-month leadership starting in January has raised concern
among some EU politicians.
                                
 Despite the Le Monde newspaper, France's European Affairs
Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet said on Thursday that Sarkozy was
not pushing to chair a group of eurozone leaders [ID:nLN46278].
 (Editing by Richard Balmforth)