28/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - "It's a good thing that the United Kingdom and Germany are taking an active part in the reflection on the reform of the European Council", said the spokesman for the Quai d'Orsay, Francois Rivasseau, commenting on the concrete reform proposals made in the Blair-Schroeder letter (see EUROPE of 25 and 26 February, p.5 and 26 February, p.6). Meanwhile, the spokesman recalled that "our general philosophy aims to strengthen the three pillars of European institutions: the Council, as well as the Commission and Parliament" (and he also noted that the Franco-German relationship, "has renewed, notably, through the Blaesheim Process, which adapts itself to an ever-developing European context"). As for CSU member Ingo Friedrich MEP, he qualified the letter as "diversionary tactics to destabilise the Convention". The Convention must not let itself be influenced by this initiative, says Friedrich, approving, however, several proposals of the German Chancellor and British Prime Minister (qualified majority voting, reduction in the number of Council formations, dropping the "tours de table" in Council).