Irish leaders claimed victory today in a referendum for a new European Community treaty on economic and political union and said the vote put the accord back on track after its rejection earlier this month by Danish voters.

The so-called Maastricht treaty was comfortably ahead in all districts, ranging from 57 percent in central Dublin and Limerick west to 69 percent in Kerry north and Dublin west. Sketchy counts in other districts indicated the treaty was passing by 70 percent or more."It is a tremendous victory for Ireland," Foreign Affairs Minister David Andrews told reporters. "It's putting out a very strong message that the ratification process is still on the rails."

If the trend continued in the count from Thursday's referendum, Ireland would be the first of the 12 European Community nations to ratify the treaty.

The treaty, negotiated in December in the Dutch town of Maastricht, would bring the member states closer together through a European central bank, a common currency and coordination of foreign and defense policies.

Ireland was one of only three countries to put the treaty to a vote of the people. Though it is the second-smallest of the 12 European Community nations, its referendum took on added weight after the Danes voted down the Maastricht treaty on June 2.

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European Community leaders hope to work out a solution with Denmark to save the accord.

The treaty awaits a referendum in France and ratification by legislatures of the other nine countries. France's National Assembly today followed the Senate in approving changes to bring the country's constitution in line with the treaty, a victory for backers of the pact.

Irish leaders appeared to have convinced voters that despite giving up some sovereignty under the treaty, they would gain from billions of dollars in subsidies from the EC.

In Paris, the chief executive of the 12-nation European Community, Jacques Delors, said approving the treaty and being a part of a unified Europe was vital for Ireland.

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