Blairs to spend another weekend with 'genuinely good friend' Schröder

Tony Blair travels to Germany today for talks with Gerhard Schröder at the Chancellor's home in Hanover, their third one-to-one meeting in the past few months.

The venue is revealing; although they will discuss Iraq and the future of the European Union, their wives will also be present at what Downing Street calls a "private engagement". A Blair aide said: "As well as being political allies, they are genuinely good friends."

In Whitehall, officials speculated that Mr Blair was trying to play "gooseberry" ahead of a meeting between Chancellor Schröder and the French President, Jacques Chirac, in Paris on Tuesday. British officials fear that a joint Franco-German submission to the Convention on the Future of Europe, drawing up a new EU blueprint, will set its agenda.

Mr Blair may hope to convince his good friend to soften his opposition to a war in Iraq, especially as Germany has just started a two-year term on the UN Security Council.

Number 10 was coy about today's meeting and admitted it was taking place only after a disclosure by a German government spokesman. Perhaps over dinner the two couples will compare the intrusive media in their two countries. Tony and Cherie Blair saw their popularity slide during the "Cheriegate" affair into her dealings with the convicted fraudster Peter Foster and Mr Schröder has threatened to sue any publication that repeats ugly rumours about his marriage to his fourth wife, Doris.

Another reason for Downing Street's reticence is that the two leaders will discuss the health of Germany's ailing economy, which could have a bearing on whether Mr Blair calls a euro referendum. Despite his woes, the Chancellor is being wooed by France and Britain as Europe reaches the crucial stage of drawing up the EU blueprint.

Mr Schröder upset Mr Chirac by travelling to London before Paris after winning re-election in September, a significant signal in the diplomatic world. The French took revenge by stitching up a deal with the Germans largely to preserve the common agricultural policy (CAP) ahead of an EU summit in October, where Mr Blair had a stand-up row with President Chirac.