France UK Summit
The British Prime Minister Tony Blair is meeting the French leader Jacques Chirac for a summit in Paris today. This could be one of their last official meetings, with France already in pre-election fever ahead of next April's polls.
This report from Caroline Wyatt:
The message from the Elysee Palace and from Downing Street is one of harmony, with Tony Blair and the French President in broad agreement on a range of issues.
When the two leaders met in Paris in June last year, they disagreed so publicly over the EU budget that Mr Blair was left holding a press conference on his own, rather than at the Elysee Palace. That won't be happening today. Both men plus a host of accompanying ministers will focus on common ground.
Ways to deal with global climate change and diversify Europe's energy supplies will be near the top of the agenda. The future of the European Constitution will barely feature, as both sides agree that the current pause for reflection should continue, after France's 'No' in the referendum last year.
This could be the two men's final summit together in Paris. Both Jacques Chirac and Tony Blair are seen as leaders in their last terms in office and both seem determined to focus on what unites rather than divides their two nations. The storms that once characterised their relationship seem to have abated, perhaps leading to an unusually serene last summit in Paris.
Caroline Wyatt, BBC, Paris Correspondent
the Elysee Palace
el Palacio Elíseo, en París: la residencia oficial del gobierno y del presidente de Francia
Downing Street
la residencia oficial del gobierno y del primer ministro de Gran Bretaña, en Londres
harmony
armonía
common ground
terreno común, estar de acuerdo sobre estos temas
diversify Europe's energy supplies
diversificar las provisiones de energía de Europa
the agenda
la agenda, los temas que se van a tratar
barely feature
casi no van a figurar
terms in office
el mandato, o periodo durante el cual un mandatario está en el poder
abated
se calmaron
serene
sereno
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