LONDON, June 7 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to mend fences with France and Germany over the European Union (EU) constitution crisis by saying the treaty was not dead, British newspaper Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

    On Monday, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Britain postponed plans for a referendum on the EU constitution.

    In an interview with the Financial Times on Monday before he flew to the United States for a visit, Blair said that Britain did not think the EU treaty was dead.

    "I think the constitution is a perfectly sensible way forward and at some point Europe is going to have to adopt rules for the future of Europe and if it doesn't it is not going to function properly." Blair said.

    Blair called on the EU to engage in a debate about economic reform, and he acknowledged that any future reform could not fully dismantle the welfare systems France and Germany enjoy, the reportsaid.

    "I don't believe that Europe should relinquish the social model, we should have a strong social model, but it has got to be one for today's world." Blair said.

    He insisted he was not suggesting Europe should "get rid of allthis idea of having a social dimension to Europe," a reference to its heavily funded welfare system and labor market regulation.

    "I don't believe that Europe should relinquish the social model, we should have a strong social model, but it has got to be one for today's world." Blair said.

    Blair will meet with US President George W. Bush in Washington on Tuesday to discuss Africa and climate change, the two major issues designed for the upcoming G8 summit under Britain's presidency.

    Britain took on the presidency of the G8 industrialized nationsat the start of this year, and will host the annual summit at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland from July 6-8. Enditem