The Austrian foreign minister has insisted that far-right leader Joerg Haider does not speak for the whole country - despite his party's involvement in its coalition government.

In a plea for an end to Vienna's diplomatic isolation, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that only the Austrian president, the chancellor and herself were constitutionally entitled to speak for the country abroad.

Speaking during a lunch with fellow EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels, she called on the other 14 member states to "leave Haider where he is" in the provincial governorship of Carinthia.

"Many of Mr Haider's remarks are unacceptable," said Ms Ferrero-Waldner, a member of the conservative People's Party which has formed a coalition government with the Freedom Party.

"But why listen to him? Listen to the president, the chancellor and me. We respect our partners' concerns," she said.

"However, I would like to ask all of them once more ... to judge us on the basis of the concrete actions of the Austrian federal government."

The other EU ministers have generally ostracised the Austrian delegation as part of their campaign to isolate Vienna in protest at the inclusion of Mr Haider's Freedom Party in a coalition government.

The agenda for the regular monthly foreign affairs meeting included discussions on EU enlargement and lifting sanctions against Serbia.

But proceedings are likely to be dominated by the crisis within the EU over the rise of Mr Haider - who has cancelled a trip to Brussels next week because of the outcry.

The gathering started off without the usual banter and handshakes as most ministers, including Ms Ferrero-Waldner, stayed away from the pre-meeting photo session.

But the Austrian foreign minister urged the other EU nations to think of what the "media demonisation" of Mr Haider was doing to the substantial pro-EU majority in her country,

"The Austrians are European patriots who need the European Union and the union needs Austria," she said.

"I am going to continue my work the way I always have."

There has been an international outcry at the Freedom Party's role in government, partly because of comments by Mr Haider which praised aspects of Nazism.

Mr Haider has not taken a cabinet post, but has instead opted for the governorship of his home province.

However, this has prompted accusations that he will still seek to shape the government's programme from behind the scenes.

Flights to Yugoslavia

During the meeting the European Union agreed to ease sanctions against Yugoslavia, suspending a ban on air links.

However, the EU moved to tighten financial sanctions designed to prevent the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic moving large amounts of cash through banks abroad.

The new package was intended to "rebalance" Western sanctions against Milosevic, relieving hardships imposed on ordinary Serbs while attempting to increase the pain on the government and its associates.

Diplomats said the flight ban would be suspended for six months.

New rules

Another main issue being discussed at the meeting is the Eu enlargement.

Their priority is to launch the inter-governmental conference - a year-long set of meetings during which a blueprint will be drawn up for the future functioning of the European Union.

It will suggest ways to change the running of the EU so it can still function when more countries become members.

Over the next 10 years several countries are expected to have become EU members and on Tuesday six nations begin detailed negotiations on joining.

In the enlargement discussions some governments will fight hard to keep their right to veto any proposal they do not approve of in key areas like taxation or defence.

But others will support the European Commission, the union's executive body, which argues that national governments must give up the veto in all but a few areas.

Correspondents say there is likely to be changes to the make-up of both the Council of Ministers and the European Commission.