(29 May 2005)
1. Wide shot French embassy
2. Medium shot embassy
3. Man arrives at embassy, with information about referendum on gate
4. SOUNDBITE: (English),Elizabeth Shinga, French expatriate:
"I was 'yes' (meaning favouring the new constitution) because I think it is important for Europe to go on, trying to develop itself and if we think of the economic point of view, military, industrial, and it is only when people work together that we can make progress."
5. French and European Union flags
6. People leaving and arriving at embassy
7. SOUNDBITE: (French),Bernard Buschmuller,French expatriate:
"So, I was saying that it is important that the French, the European vote for yes. Because Europe should be strong and united because a European country by itself cannot defend itself against the United States or China. For example, if you want to limit the import of a product from China or the United States, if a country like France creates a quota by itself, it will be penalised by a country like China or the United States. Therefore, if there is a European regulation, one cannot penalise one country on its own."
8. French expatiates leave Embassy
9. Pull out shot gate of French Embassy
STORYLINE:
French expatriates living in the Northeast, United States arrived at the French embassy on Saturday to vote for the French referendum on the new European Union constitution.
Some of the expatriate who voted"yes" on the ballot, for France to adopt the new constitution, said that Europe needs to say united against the economic and industrial might of China and the United States.
The constitution is meant to be the EU's next big step in a 50-year process of bringing together nations and peoples divided for centuries by war.
It would streamline EU decision-making and give the bloc a president and foreign minister. Big countries like France would get a greater say in EU decisions.
But French opponents fear it would chip away at national identity and bring an influx of cheap labour.
If opinion surveys prove right, France will become the first country to vote down the charter.
A French rejection of the constitution would throw Europe's forward momentum into disarray, especially if the Dutch follow France's lead in their referendum days later.
The latest French survey gave the "no" camp a 52 percent lead over the "yes" camp's 48 percent.
The first exit polls are not expected until voting is finished around 10 p.m. Paris time (2000 GMT) on Sunday.
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