The European press is paying close attention to Wednesday's EU "mini-summit" of Germany, France and Britain in Berlin.

Some commentators voice the fear that the three big powers are seeking to dominate the union.

In France, a major daily lashes out at the expanding air traffic controllers' strike, while another paper considers the wider woes of the air industry.

'Heavyweights'

Germany's Der Tagesspiegel defends the German-French-British summit in Berlin against accusations that it excludes other countries, arguing that such meetings are necessary to move European integration forward.

"If you want to establish consensus among all 15 member states right away, progress will never come, but if Germany starts an initiative with a smaller number of EU partners, those who haven't been invited howl," the paper says.

It adds that the widening of the French-German partnership to include Britain should allay mistrust of what it calls "the Schroeder-Chirac duo".

The heavyweights will have to walk on eggshells Liberation

However, the Czech daily Lidove Noviny is fearful that the three powers "will permanently try to impose their will on the EU".

It says there are good reasons to doubt the threesome's protestations there is no intention of forming a directorate to lead the rest of Europe.

France is particularly interested in the idea, the paper says, since it might "feel lonely in the middle of the enlarged union".

The Paris daily Liberation concedes that the "three Berliners" may be seeking to preserve their influence in the EU after the arrival of new members.

"The three men who made a rendezvous in Berlin may not see themselves as the natural leaders of Europe, as some accuse them of doing."

"But the circumstances of their meeting back up that interpretation," it says, citing a recent letter of protest from six EU countries led by Spain.

According to the paper, what it calls the weakening Franco-German axis may be able to retain its clout through a "non-aggression" pact with Britain.

"In order to achieve that, the heavyweights will have to walk on eggshells."

'China shop'

Denmark's Information acknowledges that the meeting has stirred old fears about the EU being dominated by the major powers and the spirit of partnership being undermined.

But it says "there is no reason to panic", as long as the big countries do not ignore the EU's common institutions.

A shared feeling of being brothers in misfortune is no starting point for a future-oriented EU policy Sydsvenska Dagbladet

In fact, the paper adds, "the input from the big three may start a much-needed discussion among all the countries about reforms of the partnership."

Dubbing the summit "the dance of the big elephants", Sweden's Sydsvenska Dagbladet believes little good will come of "three politicians who are browbeaten and feeble on domestic policy seeking political points in the international arena."

"A shared feeling of being brothers in misfortune is no starting point for a future-oriented EU policy."

The meeting, the paper continues, is widely viewed with suspicion by the three summiteers' European colleagues, and is unlikely to produce a breakthrough.

"It is not self-evident that the dance of the elephants is good for a crisis-hit EU currently resembling a china shop," it concludes.

Air rage

As Paris air traffic controllers extend their strike action, the daily Le Figaro voices exasperation that the right to disrupt flights in a holiday period still exists in France.

"Each controllers' strike damages France's worldwide image and national competitiveness."

Pointing out that the strike is directed against plans to move staff from Paris' Orly airport across town to Charles de Gaulle, the paper wonders what all the fuss is about.

The current system is bankrupt Le Monde

"Indian or Chinese controllers, who would ask for nothing more than to cross the planet and move into the Paris region must be choking with laughter, or maybe with rage."

Musing about the longer-term future of the French air industry, Le Monde says the fact that US airlines need state support since the 11 September attacks shows liberalisation is not the answer.

"But state regulation is not without its failures either," it adds, pointing to the recent demise of a string of French regional airlines.

The paper says the French holiday transport market now only has room for Air France, the state railway company SNCF and low-cost British airlines.

"As for the current system, it is bankrupt," it concludes.

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.