British Prime Minister Tony Blair denied Thursday the biggest countries in Europe were trying to take over leadership of the European Union, ahead of a Franco-German-British summit next week.

He told a news conference after talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder: "I think it is important to realize this is not about trying to create some directoire in Europe at all," using the French word for directorate.

"I think it is important we try to work at these things together, and that is not in any sense at all to exclude other countries," he said.

He cited European security and defense coordination and a Franco-German-British initiative in Iran last October to encourage the Islamic republic to come clean on its atomic energy program as positive examples of cooperation among the major European countries.

"In a Europe of 25, I think there will inevitably be attempts to make sure that we can resolve issues and resolve them not simply always operating at 25 but also trying to work at these issues amongst ourselves," Blair said.

The meeting in Berlin was aimed at laying the groundwork for a February 18 tripartite summit with French President Jacques Chirac that has been criticized by countries such as Italy and Portugal for excluding them.

France and Germany have warned that a failure to reach an accord on a controversial EU draft constitution soon may create a two-speed Europe in which heavyweights push forward on key policy initiatives to avert gridlock.

Efforts to reach consensus on the constitution have been hamstrung by disagreement between members of the 15-nation bloc and 10 new members due to join in May over voting rights.

Chirac and Schroeder said after talks this week in Genshagen, eastern Germany that they hoped for an agreement under the Irish EU presidency, which ends in June.

Schroeder said that the talks with Blair and next week with Chirac were also aimed at preparing for a February 25-26 EU summit in Brussels where they hope to launch new initiatives on economic growth and research and development.

"We are both strongly committed to doing everything we can to improve the competitiveness of our countries," Schroeder said.

On Iran, Blair was asked if he was concerned about fresh accusations that the Islamic republic may have gone back on the commitment made to the foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany in October to open its records on its nuclear program and suspend the enrichment of uranium.

He said he would withhold judgement until the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report in March on its inspections in the country.

"I think probably rather than me comment at this stage, we should wait until they make that report then. They, as the international commission looking at these things, are best placed to do that," he said.

Schroeder and Blair said they aimed to look beyond their differences on the US-led Iraq war, in which Britain took part and German and France bitterly opposed, and would focus on their cooperation in Afghanistan.

"The commitment of Germany in Afghanistan has been of huge importance to ourselves, to the United States, to all our allies," Blair said.

"That is a country that was the center of the Taliban and international terrorism. The fact of the German contribution is making a big, big difference to that country."

Germany is the biggest contributor to the International Security Assistance Force in and around the Afghan capital Kabul providing some 2,000 troops.

It is also supporting a civilian-military reconstruction team in the northern city of Kunduz and training Afghan police officers.

© 2004 EUbusiness