EU: The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has told his Belgian and German counterparts that he is relaxed about their initiative to integrate the defence forces of some European countries. Denis Staunton reports from Brussels and Derek Scally from Berlin.
However, he made clear that Ireland will not be represented at a meeting in Brussels on April 29th to launch the initiative.
"We will not be there. This discussion will happen and I have no problem with that. We'll see what comes out of it," he said.
The Belgian Prime Minister, Mr Guy Verhofstadt, told the Taoiseach that Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg will report to EU foreign ministers on the outcome of the meeting.
He said that, although only four countries will attend the meeting, other EU member-states will be welcome to join in the initiative as it develops.
"The most important thing is to start. We have already talked about European defence for 25 years.
"Now it is time to do something about it," he said.
Mr Ahern flew to Brussels from Berlin, where he met the German chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schröder.
Both meetings focused on the war in Iraq, plans for Ireland's EU presidency in the first half of next year and the progress of the Convention on the Future of Europe.
The Taoiseach said that he and Mr Verhofstadt agreed on many of the issues being discussed at the Convention, notably the reform of EU institutions.
Most small EU states want to maintain the Commission's strength and oppose the creation of an EU President who would guide the work of the Council of Ministers for a number of years and represent the EU abroad.
Mr Schröder said, however, that he still backs the creation of a permanent EU president, describing the proposal, which is backed by some of the bigger EU countries, as a good idea.
"Good ideas don't die, do they? We have to go and fight for this good idea and convince our partners that the EU needs to be a manageable political entity," he said. The Chancellor described the Taoiseach as a "very good friend of Germany" and "a solid and reliable European" and said German-Irish relations were "incredibly healthy".
Earlier yesterday, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, told the European Policy Centre, a Brussels think-tank, that the Convention should take note about public uncertainty about the direction of the EU.
"People say they want the Union to do more in some areas - but they are also cautious.
"They accept that change is inevitable and often desirable: but they want it justified, explained, argued about, honestly and clearly.
"They are not willing to take anyone's word for it," he said.
Mr Cowen repeated Ireland's opposition to the abolition of national vetoes on tax issues and some areas of justice and home affairs policy. And he said the EU did not need great institutional change to make its common foreign and security policy more effective.
"We need political will. Let us be honest. That is the key ingredient. The divisions among Union members on Iraq could not have been prevented by different institutions or procedures alone," he said.