Chirac says he wants an EU budget deal

President Jacques Chirac today told the EU commission’s president that he wants a deal on the European Union’s budget at a summit next week.

Chirac said a “good agreement” on the contentious budget question should adhere to “the three requirements of solidarity, fairness and stability,” said spokesman, Jerome Bonnafont.

Chirac made the remarks in an hour-long meeting with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Deadlock over the EU’s 2007-2013 budget risks paralysing the 25-nation bloc. Failure to reach a deal at the December 15-16 summit in Brussels,, could propel the EU into a prolonged crisis.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has proposed slashing the budget and substantially cutting aid to the new member states. The plan has been widely panned.

France’s foreign minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, yesterday said that Britain must offer new proposals. He said the current offer, which foresees a slight increase in France’s contribution but keeps most of Britain’s contentious EU rebate, was “unacceptable”.