The leaders of Britain and France promised on Friday to try to put aside their differences to help bring harmony to the European Union in troubled times, but signalled no progress on a row over the EU budget.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac beamed for cameras and shook hands before and after their first meeting for nearly three months, but stood stiffly side by side as they spoke to reporters.
They said their hour-long meeting was useful preparation for an EU summit on October 27-28 near London. British officials said their acrimonious dispute over EU spending was not on the agenda.
"Everyone knows there can and will be differences of opinion ... between Britain and France. This is normal. But you should also know we are aware of Europe's current difficulties and that we have the ambition of making these difficulties disappear and not grow," Chirac said.
"We are both determined ... not to be a divisive force but ... to understand each other so that we can be a force of harmony for the Europe of tomorrow."
Blair said differences would always remain on issues such as the two countries' social models, but also pledged to work for the greater good of the 25-nation bloc.
"It's important to see if we can find a way forward for Europe because that's important for Europe's citizens. And if we can't, then it doesn't do any good to people in France or Britain," he said.
The EU is struggling to come to terms with French and Dutch voters' rejection of the Union's constitution, which highlighted widespread disillusionment with the EU.
Chirac criticised the EU's executive Commission this week for failing to defend citizen's interests and protect jobs, and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hit back by demanding more responsibility from European politicians.
The French leader did not repeat the criticisms on Friday.
The EU is also struggling to agree on its 2007-2013 budget after a row between Chirac and Blair helped prevent agreement at a summit last June. The French president said EU leaders would try to resolve the budget issue at a summit in December.
France wants Britain to accept a reduction of its annual EU rebate. London says it will do so only if the EU agrees to review all its spending, and wants a reduction in farm spending.
France is the biggest beneficiary of the bloc's Common Agricultural Policy, which runs until 2013, and has made clear it is not prepared to accept any early changes.
Britain is expected to step up its efforts to secure a deal on the budget closer to the December EU summit.
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