Blair beams in on German poll

"WE haven't got a Tony Blair," growled Chancellor Helmut Kohl, casting a furtive glance at the Prime Minister sitting next to him. Germany did not have foreign investments either, Mr Kohl admitted before proceeding to lavish praise on the economic policies of his guest.

Throughout the press conference, he barely managed a smile. This was clearly a difficult day for the Chancellor, inviting as it did unfavourable comparisons between himself and his challenger, Gerhard Schroder, who is certainly not offended by being cast in the Blairite mould. "With our very high taxes we are frightening away foreign investors," said Mr Kohl, as if forgetting he has been in charge of tax affairs for 15 years. But if he was trying to make an electoral point, he missed the opportunity.

The only meeting the German media cared about was that between Mr Blair and his German imitator. However hard the British camp tried to stay out of the election battle, Mr Schroder suckered them into it. Hearing of the visit, the Chancellor's challenger in this year's elections invited himself and colleagues for a meeting and the inevitable photo-op. On the stairs of the British ambassador's residence, Mr Schroder proved he could grin with the best. Thus, unlike his rival, he turned the mini-event into an important stage on the campaign trail. Mr Blair, he said with a broad smile, was "an unusually nice man. I have rarely met a person who can speak with such authority on social and economic affairs".

The two had "thorough discussions" about British ideas for reducing unemployment, and Mr Schroder's recipe for closer ties with business. "We both agree it makes more sense to finance work than unemployment," Mr Schroder added.

Whether any such agreement was reached, the other side would not say. But on a visit evidently short of content, Mr Schroder's embrace of the Briton he hopes to emulate will be the enduring image.

Mr Blair was in Bonn for a day to discuss the most burning European issues, and appears to have made little progress. The British presidency, he said, would play a "a fully constructive part in launching the euro. Our position is open," he said, and this "allows us to chair discussions in an impartial way".

One of the main outstanding questions is who should run the European Central Bank. The job is up for grabs between Wim Duisenberg, the Dutchman favoured by Germany, and France's Jean-Claude Trichet. Mr Blair is trying to broker a deal, so far without any apparent success.

"I am quite optimistic that we'll find a positive solution," was all Mr Kohl would say.

Next week the Prime Minister flies to Paris laden with German optimism and little else.