Blair plays down support for action against Iraq
Mr Blair sought to play down reports that Britain had been isolated over its support for expected US military action against Iraq.
‘‘This issue has not been the dominant issue at this summit. We are not at the point of decision on this or near it. When we are, I have no doubt we will discuss things closely,’’ he said.
Earlier however European Union President Romano Prodi warned Britain and the US that it was ‘‘possible’’ that the EU could oppose any military intervention against Saddam Hussein.
‘‘I am worried about future possible American action in Iraq and the necessity for explanations and knowledge on the deep reasons for that,’’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
His comments reflect the growing misgivings among European leaders like Germany’s Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at the prospect that President George Bush could extend his war on international terrorism to Baghdad.
Mr Prodi also made no secret of his disappointment that the summit had not been able to achieve more on the economic reform agenda.
‘‘Because we start from strongly different interests, don’t be surprised that our convergence is slow. This is part of life,’’ he said.
In contrast, Mr Blair, who last year said Barcelona would be ‘‘make-or-break’’ for the reform agenda, did his best to talk up its achievements.
He pointed to the agreements on moving towards a single market in financial services, cutting red tape and bureaucracy and an ‘‘open skies’’ policy for air passenger travel.
In particular, he pointed to the agreement on opening up the energy market with full liberalisation of the business sector by 2004 and a decision on liberalising the domestic sector within the nt 12 months.
However, in what was being seen as a classic EU fudge, the French, who had been strongly opposed to any moves to open up their household energy market to full competition.
With elections looming, the government in Paris has been resisting opening up their market for domestic users to foreign suppliers fearing the impact of de-regulation on voters in terms of higher prices.
