Blair's chance to be 1st EU president wanes

The race to become the first president of the European Union is wide open after EU leaders all but eliminated former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, from the running.

EU leaders ended a two-day summit in Brussels on Friday without any sign of an agreement on a candidate, but made it clear Blair would not be their choice.

The "no" to Blair kept alive a race to fill the posts of EU president and foreign minister, two jobs created by a hard-fought EU reform treaty due to take effect in January.

Blair was an early candidate. His rivals are believed to include Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Belgian leader Herman Van Rompuy.

Neither has formally confirmed their candidacies. Some European socialists refused backing for Blair because of his role in the war in Iraq.

Jean Asselborn, FM & Deputy PM of Luxembourg, said, "Tony Blair has a lot of merits, really. He is a personality that will not disappear in the spirit of the people. He has done a lot for the UK. But you know there will be always a link between Iraq, Mr Bush and Mr Blair. And therefore, if we reset Europe, if we restart now with a new treaty I think we cannot do it and give silence in the past."