FREE DAILY EMAIL

EU f oreign ministers gathered in Italy yesterday for talks likely to be dominated by Iraq and the Middle East, although brewing political storms at home were first up on the menu for discussion.

Tight security surrounded the talks, as anti-globalisation protestors tried to march on the meeting venue on the shores of Italy's Lake Garda but were beaten back by anti-riot police.

Growing waves of violence threatening efforts to rebuild Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and arguments over blacklisting radical Islamic group Hamas's political wing are all on the agenda during the two-day meeting.

But the meeting's first day was dominated by the imminent launch of an intergovernmental conference (IGC) on a future EU constitution, as well as a simmering row over an embryonic EU defence force.

The IGC, to be launched in Rome on October 4, is shaping up as a battle between EU states who largely support a draft constitution finalised in June, and many smaller countries who fear the blueprint will further boost the domination of larger countries.

Officials said the informal talks were unlikely to get into the nitty-gritty of the arguments.

"The presidency plans to keep the discussion on IGC about the procedure rather than substance," said one source.

Diplomats meanwhile also downplayed the risk of immediate clashes over the defence issue, saying the Italian EU presidency wanted to keep discussions away from the substance for the moment.

The dispute centres on a plan by four countries, which opposed the Iraq war - Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg - to create an autonomous European military command centre outside Brussels.

Britain has presented a three-page "food for thought" proposal, likely to make the rounds in Riva del Garda. "The British do not believe that there is a need for a separate planning facility," said one source.

The EU ministers last met for such informal talks in May, in the aftermath of the Iraq war.

At that stage they sought to start healing the deep wounds opened up by the conflict between pro- and anti-war EU camps.

Four months later, the outlook in Iraq is as clouded as ever.

The death toll of attacks against the US-led coalition mounts by the day; the price-tag for reconstruction efforts skyrockets, and the pro- and anti-war factions are still battling over just how "central" a role the United Nations should have.

As the US battles to persuade anti-war states to support efforts in Iraq, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was expected to press his EU counterparts for more help on the issue.

"I'm sure they'll make the case for more support," said one diplomat.

Meanwhile EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana was set to brief the ministers on his latest tour of the Middle East, where he sought to exert EU influence to prevent violence killing the EU-backed road map for peace.

According to diplomats, the meeting will discuss calls - pressed for notably by Britain and the Netherlands - for it to add Hamas' political wing to an EU blacklist, which freezes funding for groups supporting terrorists.

Other countries including France, Belgium and Greece argue the move would be counterproductive.

"I wouldn't expect a decision, although I think there may be a fairly frank exchange of views," said a British diplomat.

At the start of the meeting yesterday journalists were prevented from questioning the arriving ministers - the usual practice at such talks - as the protestors faced-off with police on the picturesque dockside nearby. – Sapa-AFP.

SPONSORED BY

Advanced