By Ray Furlong BBC correspondent in Berlin

The three leaders were only able to agree on vague principles. They said they wanted "a stable and democratic Iraq," a "key role" for the United Nations, and a transfer of power to Iraqi hands "as soon as possible".

The summit has been described as a public relations disaster

But there is little agreement on substance. Mr Blair said everyone agreed in principle that reconstructing Iraq was impossible without the UN.

"And when I say there's no disagreement, that includes the United States," he added.

But the French President, Jacques Chirac, was not interested in a show of unity.

"There's no point me saying our differences are slight," he said. "France believes there should be a change in direction. The United Nations must play a much more significant role."

Mr Chirac also exposed how incomplete the consensus on a return to Iraqi sovereignty is, saying that "on the modalities and time-scale of this, we are still not fully agreed".

Crucial timing

According to Financial Times Deutschland Foreign Editor Wolfgang Proissl, the meeting was a "public relations disaster".

"The expectation was that if these three - Blair, Chirac and Schroeder - came together in Berlin a week before the UN General Assembly they would try to come up with some sort of common position," he said.

France is also thinking of the long term future, when there are no foreign forces left in Iraq. If you are calling for the return of Iraqi sovereignty now, it could be a plus in the future when there are some contracts up for grabs Pascal Thibault of French National Radio

Put broadly, Mr Blair tried to play up the degree of agreement while Mr Chirac knocked it down again.

The third man, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, hardly commented - careful perhaps not to ruin his meeting with US President George W Bush next week.

"It is very important that he appears to have repaired relations with Bush, so he's willing to go the extra mile," says Mr Proissl.

Differing approaches

So Mr Schroeder's cautious performance also pointed to differences in the French and German approaches.

"Paris has a more radical position. For Paris it's not so important to get a meeting or an invitation to see Mr Bush," says Pascal Thibault of French National Radio.

"France is also thinking of the long term future, when there are no foreign forces left in Iraq. If you are calling for the return of Iraqi sovereignty now, it could be a plus in the future when there are some contracts up for grabs."

This meeting came amid a whirl of diplomatic activity.

There is a US-drafted resolution on Iraq currently on the table at the UN, which it is hoped would allow countries such as India, Pakistan or Turkey to deploy troops there.

And when the UN General Assembly sits next week, Mr Bush will meet Mr Chirac as well as Mr Schroeder.

The British, French and German leaders said the details of the resolution would be discussed at the UN.

Judging by this summit, there is a lot of hard bargaining to go.