Poland on Monday called on Britain to keep alive the European Union charter's ratification process by not shelving plans to hold a referendum on the issue.
Deputy Foreign Minister Jan Truszczynski said that even though the EU constitution was "politically dead" after France and the Netherlands rejected the charter last week, the process of its ratification must continue.
"If the British hit the proverbial nail into the coffin of the constitution by saying they are backing out of a referendum, then there is a question about what would happen with ratification in other countries," he told private radio TOK FM.
Britain's voice is especially important, he said, since it will take over the EU's rotating presidency in July.
"They should refrain from such a type of declaration... I expect a reasonable voice, a voice that will not complicate the life of countries who face referendums in the nearest months."
Foreign minister Jack Straw is expected to announce a decision to shelve plans for a referendum on the constitution in an address to parliament on Monday.
Luxembourg and Denmark have pencilled in votes in coming months and the Warsaw government wants Poland -- the EU's largest newcomer -- to hold a referendum in October.
But the country's centre-right opposition, tipped to win power in September's general election, wants to delay the referendum until 2006 or abandon it altogether.
Truszczynski said it was naive of the opposition to believe Poland could negotiate a better deal if this charter collapsed.
"I doubt that in such negotiations we can achieve a better result for Poland. It's in Poland's interest to continue European integration," Truszczynski said.
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