Blair begins EU constitution talks

Prime Minister Tony Blair has arrived in Brussels for talks with fellow European leaders on the controversial new EU constitution.

Mr Blair's team has talked down the significance of the discussions, stressing they represented a "starting point".

But Conservatives seized on a Franco-German diplomatic deal as evidence that Britain's interests would be overruled in the final draft.

Continuing differences over Iraq could complicate already difficult negotiations on the future of Europe.

Mr Blair and the other leaders were warned to avoid a "power struggle" on the eve of today's summit in Brussels.

A 105-strong convention met for nearly 18 months on the issue and delivered proposals to EU leaders in the summer.

Now the member states and the Commission have given themselves until Christmas to thrash out the details - although the new constitutional treaty does not have to be signed until next spring.

The key sticking points include the extent of majority voting - reducing the sacred right of national veto over EU policy decisions - and the roles and exact powers of a new EU "foreign minister" and a "president of Europe", whose appointments will be designed to increase the EU's clout on the world stage.

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