While Blair's meeting with the outgoing French leader Jacques Chirac is likely to be overshadowed by their frequent tensions - primarily over Iraq, European farmers' subsidies, the British rebate from the EU budget and London's unwelcome support for Turkey's EU membership, - his relationship with Nicolas Sarkozy who will take over as the new French president May 16 is much warmer.
Sarkozy has repeatedly expressed his admiration for Blair's political style, and Blair has recorded a special video congratulation for Sarkozy in French.
Blair and Sarkozy are expected to discuss unemployment in Europe and the future of a European constitutional treaty that could be adopted without referendums, only by parliamentary votes.
On May 16-17, Blair is set to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush to discuss Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Iran's nuclear file, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and global trade, the White House announced Friday.
Before stepping down, Blair also plans to hold a series of meetings in Africa, and represent the United Kingdom in Germany at the G8 summit June 6-8 and in Brussels at the EU summit June 21-22.
Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a Blair ally in the Labour Party, is the primary candidate to succeed Blair without an election. Brown has rejected a Conservative call for a snap election.
The name of Labour's next leader will become known June 24, and the successful candidate will take over the premiership from Blair three days later.
