European leaders put EU constitution on hold

In a blow to their ambitions, European Union leaders decided Thursday to put on hold plans to unite their 25 nations under a single constitution, saying they needed to reconnect with their people.
During crisis talks addressing a daunting list of problems, the leaders decided a "period of pause and reflection" must follow the French and Dutch rejections of the EU's blueprint for closer integration, said Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern. The EU needs "time to settle down and re-engage with people," he said.