Blair and Chirac fail to resolve budget row

THE deadlock over Europe’s budget continues after a terse meeting in Paris yesterday between the French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The dispute is set to deadlock negotiations on the six-year funding plan at the leaders’ summit in Brussels tomorrow and Friday.

Mr Blair acknowledged they had not found any middle ground. “The meeting I have just had with President Chirac was immensely amicable. But obviously there is a sharp disagreement.” He added that it was difficult to see these differences being bridged.