PARIS, Oct. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- French President Jacques Chirac and visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair said here Friday that they were determined not to be "a force of division, but a force of harmony" for the Europe of tomorrow.

    "We are both determined to be a force of harmony for the Europe of tomorrow," Chirac told reporters after talks with Blair in the Elysee Palace.

    But he also acknowledged that there could be and there would bedivergence of views, especially on technical problems between Britain and France.

    Blair, for his part, said the work of the EU member states was to cooperate and meet the challenge of globalization.

    "There would always be differences" between the two countries over some issues, he said, but "it is important to see if we can find a way forward for Europe because that is important for Europe's citizens."

    Blair is on a one-day visit to Paris for talks with Chirac and French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to prepare for an informal summit on Oct. 27-28 at Hampton Court outside London, which is expected to focus on social issues and globalization.

    On Friday, Chirac and Blair also discussed about EU's 2007-2013 budget.

    Talks on an agreement for the EU budget broke down in June, partially due to disagreement between Britain and France.

    Britain said it would only accept a reduction of the rebate it won in 1984 if the European Union agrees to review its expenditure by reducing farm subsidies representing up to 40 percent of the EU budget.

    France, the biggest beneficiary of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), opposes any subsidy cuts. Enditem