Straw rejects French snub claims

Chirac, Schroeder and Blair focused on economic challenges

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has denied claims Britain was snubbed by French President Jacques Chirac at a mini-summit in Berlin on Wednesday.

Mr Chirac met Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to discuss the need for economic reform in Europe.

But he said it would be inappropriate to compare the Franco-German axis with their relationship with Britain.

Mr Straw said Britain was not trying to "muscle in" and dismissed other EU nations concerns' about the summit.

Italy particularly feared the meeting showed Europe's big three wanted to dictate decisions to the rest of the EU.

Fears unfounded?

Mr Straw said he had spoken to the Spanish and Polish foreign ministers and they had been quite understanding about the summit.

Italy's foreign minister, however, had been less reassured, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Straw says the atmosphere has changed

Mr Straw said many countries met in different groups and it made sense for the biggest three countries also to reach a common understanding.

"It must be possible for Britain to meet with more than two countries at a time and less than 25," he said.

Some newspapers have portrayed Mr Chirac's comments as branding Britain as a bit-part player.

He was asked at a news conference whether relations with Britain would be as close as Franco-German links.

No comparison?

Mr Chirac said the Franco-German relations was very specific and could not be exported.

"It's a very intense relationship that is illustrated by regular contacts, almost daily contacts, between government officials and politicians between France and Germany," he went on.

"So it would be inappropriate to compare the relationships."

It matters to us that the European economy functions well Tony Blair

Mr Straw denied the comments were a rebuff to Britain, pointing to the intense relationship between France and Germany over three centuries and past conflicts.

"We have to understand that France and Germany have this powerful sense that unless they cooperate, things could disintegrate on the basis of their history," he said.

"We're not trying to muscle in on anything but what was really striking yesterday at the lengthy dinner which took place after the press conference was the way in which the atmosphere had so changed compared with 18 months ago."

All three countries wanted to work together where they could achieve more together, he added.

Competitive drive

The formal talks session focused on boosting innovation and modernising social security systems.

Afterwards, the three men signed a joint letter calling for an EU economic reform "tsar" to lead a push to make Europe more globally competitive.

They said a new European Commission vice president should be charged with driving through structural reforms in the labour markets and other parts of the European economy.

Mr Blair told reporters: "It matters to us that the European economy functions well.

"It's important that we make the changes necessary to give our people the best chance of still having jobs and security and rising living standards in the new world in which we are living."

The prime minister said the mini-summit was timely with an EU-wide summit on economic reform being held in March.

He said the plans agreed in Berlin would help "make sure we get some impulsion into the whole process of economic reform".

There have been fears the EU has slipped behind on its 2000 target of becoming the world's most competitive skilled economy by 2010.