French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner has warned Ireland about the consequences of voting "No" in Thursday's referendum, saying the Irish would be the "first victim" if they reject the EU treaty.
Speaking on France's RTL radio, Mr Kouchner said that a "No" vote would be met by "gigantic incomprehension" in the rest of Europe.
A possible 'no' by Irish voters is viewed with incomprenension in some member states (Photo: EUobserver)
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Mr Kouchner alluded to the Irish being ungrateful about what the country has received from the EU since its membership in 1973.
Ireland has strongly benefitted from EU farm aid and structural aid over the years and has managed to turn itself into one of the most prosperous member states in the EU.
With the latest poll showing only a narrow gap between the "Yes" and the "No" side, politicians in larger member states particularly cannot understand why the treaty may be defeated.
"I believe the first victim of an eventual no would be the Irish. They have benefitted more than others," said Mr Kouchner.
"Yes, they're not happy because maybe nobody told them that Europe is confronting the rest of the world and that to have advantages for themselves, for the Irish...well, Europe has to develop, has to go in the direction of the Treaty of Lisbon," he said.
"It would be very, very, very troubling...that we could not count on the Irish, who themselves have counted a lot on Europe's money,"
