Heads of state gather for final meeting

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair met for their last one-on-one meetings as heads of state yesterday, a week before the British prime minister formally steps down from the position.

The two leaders met early yesterday afternoon for a short bilateral meeting during the European Council summit in Brussels.

The meeting — which was informal in nature — lasted only a few minutes. Both leaders discussed the position Britain has adopted to the draft amended treaty to replace the doomed EU constitution.