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Anti-war Europeans open summit
Four European Union countries which opposed the war in Iraq have begun a mini-summit in Brussels on boosting defence ties.
The leaders of France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg are discussing ways to strengthen the EU's military links.
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on Monday called for a strong Europe which could speak with a single voice and act as a counterweight to the United States.
However the four countries attending the Brussels summit have insisted their meeting is not anti-American.
Mr De Villepin said the mini-summit was intended to strengthen Nato, not rival it.
"Everything is being done to act in tight co-operation and in strict harmony with the Atlantic alliance," he said during a visit to Prague.
"It is not a question of building a competing process but, on the contrary, of avoiding duplication and asserting Europe's responsibility."
But the apparent exclusion of the EU's pro-war nations - including the biggest military power, the UK - has prompted accusations that the meeting will only deepen the Europe's divisions.
The BBC's Chris Morris, in Brussels, says almost everyone agrees there can be no credible European defence policy without UK involvement, but Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, who called the meeting, argues that Europe has to start somewhere.
Divided Europe
Hopes that Europe was ready to move towards a common defence and foreign policy have been left in tatters by the Iraq war, which polarised the EU into pro- and anti-war camps.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, and the country currently holding the EU presidency, Greece, are not attending the summit.
And the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, attempted on Monday to play down the summit's significance.
"We won't accept, and neither will the rest of Europe, anything that either undermines Nato or conflicts with the basic principles of European defence we've set out," he said.
Italy, Spain and the Netherlands have also expressed reservations.
Reports before the mini-summit began said France and Germany were expected to back-pedal on the original proposals - including a European defence force run from a military command centre in Belgium - fearing further damage to their relationships with the US.
Mr Verhofstadt is still believed to support the creation of a European military command headquarters, but diplomatic sources quoted by Reuters news agency said the idea had been shredded.
Proposals for defence spending targets and common European military units had also been dropped, diplomats said.
'Scaled-down' plans
Instead, the four are thought more likely to stick to less contentious ground - with a final communique expected to contain only those ideas which are under discussion by the convention examining Europe's future.
Those include a solidarity clause offering support to fellow nations under terrorist attack, and plans for an EU arms procurement and strategic research agency.
Separate plans for a European rapid reaction force, which would operate under the auspices of Nato military planners, have the support of all 15 EU members.
Planners hope the 60,000-strong force will be fully operational by the end of the year.
The EU launched its first military mission last month, when it took over from Nato in charge of the peacekeeping operation in Macedonia.
Four European Union countries which opposed the war in Iraq have begun a mini-summit in Brussels on boosting defence ties.
The leaders of France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg are discussing ways to strengthen the EU's military links.
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on Monday called for a strong Europe which could speak with a single voice and act as a counterweight to the United States.
However the four countries attending the Brussels summit have insisted their meeting is not anti-American.
Mr De Villepin said the mini-summit was intended to strengthen Nato, not rival it.
"Everything is being done to act in tight co-operation and in strict harmony with the Atlantic alliance," he said during a visit to Prague.
"It is not a question of building a competing process but, on the contrary, of avoiding duplication and asserting Europe's responsibility."
But the apparent exclusion of the EU's pro-war nations - including the biggest military power, the UK - has prompted accusations that the meeting will only deepen the Europe's divisions.
The BBC's Chris Morris, in Brussels, says almost everyone agrees there can be no credible European defence policy without UK involvement, but Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, who called the meeting, argues that Europe has to start somewhere.
Divided Europe
Hopes that Europe was ready to move towards a common defence and foreign policy have been left in tatters by the Iraq war, which polarised the EU into pro- and anti-war camps.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, and the country currently holding the EU presidency, Greece, are not attending the summit.
And the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, attempted on Monday to play down the summit's significance.
"We won't accept, and neither will the rest of Europe, anything that either undermines Nato or conflicts with the basic principles of European defence we've set out," he said.
Italy, Spain and the Netherlands have also expressed reservations.
Reports before the mini-summit began said France and Germany were expected to back-pedal on the original proposals - including a European defence force run from a military command centre in Belgium - fearing further damage to their relationships with the US.
Mr Verhofstadt is still believed to support the creation of a European military command headquarters, but diplomatic sources quoted by Reuters news agency said the idea had been shredded.
Proposals for defence spending targets and common European military units had also been dropped, diplomats said.
'Scaled-down' plans
Instead, the four are thought more likely to stick to less contentious ground - with a final communique expected to contain only those ideas which are under discussion by the convention examining Europe's future.
Those include a solidarity clause offering support to fellow nations under terrorist attack, and plans for an EU arms procurement and strategic research agency.
Separate plans for a European rapid reaction force, which would operate under the auspices of Nato military planners, have the support of all 15 EU members.
Planners hope the 60,000-strong force will be fully operational by the end of the year.
The EU launched its first military mission last month, when it took over from Nato in charge of the peacekeeping operation in Macedonia.
Why would you hold a meeting to hammer out European defense policy and exclude one of the EU's largest military powers?
If America says "Lets'have a war", do the Brits ever say no? How could Europe be a counter-balance to the US if they never stand up to its bullying?
I know that the French rejected them too
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