EU foreign ministers will vent mounting anger today at the British presidency's go-slow tactics on the bloc's long-term budget, three weeks before a crucial summit on future financing.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has promised comprehensive proposals on the multibillion-euro 2007-2013 budget just before a special ministerial meeting on December 7th, but Britain's 24 partners are frustrated at being kept waiting.
"We are wasting time talking about secondary issues without tackling the real problem," one EU ambassador complained.
Another senior diplomat said ministers might as well exchange statements by letter and save the plane fare to Brussels since there was to be no negotiation.
Talks broke down in acrimony last June when Britain blocked a compromise by refusing to accept any curb on its annual rebate from EU coffers unless it won a promise of future cuts in farm subsidies that benefit France most.
Any chance of agreement at the two-day summit that begins on December 15th hinges on Prime Minister Tony Blair's willingness to give up part of the rebate, worth €5.1 billion last year, but some diplomats question whether he is domestically strong enough to do so.
France has shown no willingness to give an inch on farm payments, standing by a 2002 agreement which pegged agricultural spending at current levels until 2013.
In a tough speech to the European Parliament last week, Mr Straw said it would be very hard to get a deal unless there were significant changes in the €871 billion package proposed by Luxembourg, which others see as the basis for a solution.
Mr Straw also sought to play down the urgency, saying that last time around, agreement had only been reached at the March summit before the start of the new budget period. - (Reuters)
