UK News 22-11-2000 Hague And Blair At War Over Euro Army who: Tony Blair what: Angered over media treatment of "euro army" plan where: MOSCOW when: Yesterday snippet: In an effort to make Europe a pivotal election issue, William Hague yesterday went "to war" with Tony Blair yesterday, says The Telegraph. Furious at Britain`s commitment in Brussels this week to post 12,500 troops, 18 warships and up to 72 combat aircraft to a European defence force, Mr Hague said it was time for the prime minister to "do an about turn". "Mr Blair is signing up to a European army," said Mr Hague. "He doesn`t want to refer to it as that, but it is a European army - against the advice of our senior commanders in the Falklands and Gulf wars. This will be a general election issue." But Mr Blair, giving a press conference in Moscow where he is in talks with president Vladimir Putin, rubbished not only his opposition but also the British press. "I`m used to the British media being impossible on the topic of Europe," he said, "but I hope the public will be given the facts... Even by the standards of our anti-European media, some of the coverage in the newspapers is fundamentally dishonest". Downing Street press spokesman Alastair Campbell has demanded a right of reply in The Sun and Daily Mail, reports The Guardian, "to allow Mr Blair to correct what officials are calling `lies` by newspapers and by William Hague`s team. Both papers agreed in principle". [... more]

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