Italian Prime Minister Mr Silvio Berlusconi said today the European Union faced a big mess if its three biggest countries tried to dictate to the rest.
Speaking on the eve of a summit between Germany, France and Britain, Mr Berlusconi launched the strongest attack to date on what he portrayed as efforts by the three to create a "directorate" for the EU.
"Europe doesn't need any directorate. It's just a big mess," said Mr Berlusconi, whose country is one of four European countries in the G7 group of leading industrial nations along withGermany, France and Britain.
"This is my opinion which is completely shared by otherEuropean countries, with the exception of the three countriesinvolved," Berlusconi told a news conference in Rome.
German Chancellor Mr Gerhard Schroeder, French PresidentMr Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair,accompanied by ministers, are due to meet in Berlin tomorrowto discuss ways of reviving growth in sluggish EU economies.
Despite their assurances to the contrary, concerns have beenmounting among their peers that the "Big Three" are engaged inpower play to prevent their influence from being diluted whenthe EU expands from 15 to 25 members on May 1st.