Czech President Klaus signs Lisbon treaty

    Before Klaus signed the pact, it had been approved by all other 26 EU member nations.

    Klaus, who likened the treaty and the EU reform to "an unstoppable train," said he would sign it after an EU summit allowed an opt-out for the Czech Republic from the treaty's Charter of Fundamental Rights.

    The Czech president made the request over worries of property claims by ethnic Germans stripped of their land and property and expelled after World War II. EU leaders agreed to his demand last week.

    With the signing, EU leaders now can proceed with the long-delayed reform process, including appointing a new European Commission, the EU's executive arm, and selecting the first EU president and a powerful foreign affairs representative; Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.news.xinhuanet.com for full version.