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The
leaders of Germany, France and UK will meet here Saturday for a
summit aimed at putting their differences over the Iraq war behind
them, the first such meeting between the three European powers
since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein five months ago.
The lunch meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French
President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
coincides with a new US push at the United Nations to win support
for its Iraq policy.
"The meeting will serve to reach common ground on foreign policy
after the differing views that arose before the Iraq war," said the
German government in a statement.
Germany and France opposed the war on Iraq, while Blair was US
President George W Bush's staunchest ally during the conflict that
has divided and weakened the European Union and the UN Security
Council.
Since then, Berlin and Paris have argued that the United Nations
should be brought to the centre of rebuilding efforts and that its
prime aim must be to put the control of Iraq back into the hands of
its people.
France, one of five permanent veto-holding members of the 15-member
Council, has challenged Washington's proposals for a resolution and
wants an accelerated timetable for the US to hand over
sovereignty.
But France has recently shown flexibility over its demand for
installing a new Iraqi government within a month, saying a
"symbolic" transfer of power to Iraqi representatives could be
possible.
Germany, currently among ten non-permanent members, has also argued
that the US outline of how the multinational force would work has
so far been inadequate.
Berlin has also said it would not contribute troops, although US
officials have suggested that very few soldiers from other
countries would be expected.
In Paris, a spokesperson for Chirac said the discussions would
focus in particular on security and defence, a topic, which has
also polarised the EU.
Since the war, Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg have held
controversial meetings on strengthening the Union's defensive
capability, talks from which Britain was excluded and which angered
Washington.
But despite their very strong and public differences over Iraq,
relations between the three countries have been improving of
late.
Last week, they jointly called on Iran to fully disclose its
contested nuclear programme by the end of October.
In recent days they have also been working closely at the United
Nations on moves to lift international sanctions against Libya, and
on the future constitution of the European Union.
All those issues are likely to be touched on again at the summit in
Berlin, which Blair's spokesperson said had come about after a
"consensus" between the three that talks at this time would be
valuable.
"This will be a chance to discuss not just Iraq but also other
issues as well.
There have been informal discussions, but it makes sense to
continue those discussions now," the spokesperson said.
"It will be a chance for a fairly wide-ranging discussion on
economic matters and international affairs," he said.
"Iraq will be discussed and also other European matters".
Downing Street meanwhile also announced that Blair would be hosting
on Sunday Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, another US ally
in the war, at the Prime Minister's weekend retreat northwest of
London, known as Chequers. – Sapa-AFP.