Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso was a step away yesterday from becoming the next European Commission president after EU leaders ended weeks of wrangling to back him.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, said he would propose the conservative Portuguese leader - an advocate of strong ties with Washington - for the post at a special bloc summit in Brussels tomorrow.

"I have been consulting extensively with colleagues, and I am very pleased to be able to confirm that there is overwhelming support for the appointment of Portuguese Prime Minister Barroso," Mr Ahern said in a statement.

Mr Durao Barroso's support for better relations with Washington and backing for the US-led invasion of Iraq made him acceptable to Britain - one of the EU's so-called "Big Three".

He is not seen as a federalist or a nationalist. Mr Durao Barroso also backs a stronger Nato as a pillar of the EU and wants better investment in the military.

The appointment of the 48-year-old multilingual lawyer would end weeks of acrimonious debate over the post that pitted Britain against fellow EU heavyweights France and Germany, reigniting rivalries that flared over the Iraq war.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday they backed Mr Durao Barroso.

"I am delighted that there is overwhelming support within the European Council for Jose Manuel Durao Barroso. I am sure he would do an outstanding job," Mr Blair said in a statement.

EU leaders failed to agree on a new Commission president at a summit in Brussels earlier this month where a constitution for an enlarged EU bloc of 25 nations was sealed.

Mr Ahern said he was hopeful Mr Durao Barroso would accept the post as successsor to Italian Romano Prodi when EU leaders hold their European Council meeting tomorrow.

"Members of the Council have urged him to do so and I am hopeful that he can respond positively," said Mr Ahern, who engaged in frantic diplomacy to produce a consensus candidate.

Mr Prodi stands down at the end of October and the bloc's new executive takes over on November 1. The bloc's presidency is responsible for proposing a successor.

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