Certainly, the two sides were much further apart when separate inter-governmental conferences on economic and monetary union and on political union began last December.
The parliament has already been promised a role in the 1996 inter-governmental conference, where representatives of national governments will debate how fast to progress towards a Euro-federation.
But the agreement also established an inter-governmental conference to discuss on a regular basis political, security and legal matters and also cross-border security.
European governments should postpone the next 'inter-governmental conference' until beyond 2000.
The ordinary revision procedure is essentially the traditional method by which the treaties have been amended and involves holding a full inter-governmental conference.
The document approved for debate at the coming inter-governmental conference reflected the enormous differences among the 12 members over what political union means to each.
The development would run in tandem with the inter-governmental conference.
The same Franco-Dutch argument has become pivotal in the current inter-governmental conference on political union.
The inter-governmental conference which British Sources had refused to countenance all day was duly nodded through.
Preparations for the special inter-governmental conference on a new European monetary treaty will begin almost immediately.