Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said yesterday one should exercise caution with regard to the work of an EU "reflection group" that is expected to be appointed by EU leaders at their traditional end-of-year summit meeting in Brussels on Friday.

Speaking during a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in preparation for the summit, Dr Frendo said the work of this group of "wise men" to look at the future of the EU should not in any way interfere with the ratification process of the new EU treaty.

"We must make sure that this group's work is different from the ratification process of the new treaty. There shouldn't be any mixed messages as these can be wrongly interpreted by public opinion within the EU," Dr Frendo said.

The reflection group is basically the idea of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and will deal with long-term EU issues. It will also analyse ways in which such issues can best be tackled by the end of 2009.

Among such issues are the strengthening of the European social model, sustainable development, global security, migration, energy and climate change as well as the fight against terrorism.

Contrary to Mr Sarkozy's idea, the group will avoid the issue of Europe's final borders, including the delicate question of Turkey's accession.

As originally conceived, the group could have served as a "diplomatic" vehicle to prevent Turkey from securing EU membership and also to put a brake on enlargement.

Council sources told The Times that following yesterday's Foreign Ministers meeting, the French proposal now seems to have been substantially watered down as a result of opposition from some member states and institutions that fear their influence could be trimmed.

The reflection group will be composed of up to 12 experts and has to report to the European Council in 2010.