Plans for a special summit to confront deepening European divisions over the Iraq crisis have received a lukewarm response in Downing Street.

The European Union summit calls come as France, Germany and Belgium block plans to boost Turkey's defences ahead of a possible Iraq war.

The Conservatives have accused those nations of treating Turkish defences as a political football.

The Liberal Democrats said the vetoes, later exercised by Germany too, were undermining calls for weapons inspectors in Iraq to get more time.

Duncan Smith: Nato faces serious problems

Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw have been invited the special summit, planned by the European Union's Greek presidency.

Downing Street confirmed it had been approached at an official level about the summit, planned for next Monday in Brussels.

But Mr Blair's spokesman said whether he would attend or not would depend on what the meeting was for.

"We would need to talk to the presidency (of the European Union) and see what agenda they have in mind," he said.

The spokesman also insisted the UK had received no formal Franco-German plans to avoid conflict.

French President Jacques Chirac later said France, Russia and Germany wanted to reinforce weapons inspections in Iraq and try to find a peaceful way of removing any weapons of mass destruction.

Euro defence 'nonsense'

Emergency consultations were held on Monday afternoon but will resume again on Tuesday after failing to reach a resolution.

During a visit to the Netherlands, Mr Duncan Smith told reporters: "How can you veto Turkey's self defence?

"They are using it as a political football.

"The whole idea of European defence is becoming a complete nonsense. It is a very, very serious matter."

Peace campaigners are preparing for Saturday's rally

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said United Nations weapons inspectors need more time.

He said: "The case for more time has been unnecessarily undermined by the apparent veto through Nato to provide protection to Turkey...

"Vetoing the Nato deployment of patriot missiles for Turkey's protection is unnecessarily provocative."

Rally preparations

Mr Duncan Smith has also accused Lib Dem counterpart Charles Kennedy of looking for "cheap votes" by saying he will take part on Saturday's peace rally in London.

Mr Kennedy on Sunday said his argument was a "pro-UN case", adding: "It is not anti-war come what may."

Former cabinet minister Mo Mowlam has also said she will join the rally.

Bob Crow: Anti-war

The rally's organisers predict half a million people will join the demonstration.

Transport union leaders Mick Rix and Bob Crow said Mr Blair was failing to convince the British public that military action against Iraq was necessary.

Speaking at a Stop the War Coalition news conference in London, the RMT's Mr Crow predicted voters would use the local elections in May to register their disapproval at Mr Blair's policy on Iraq.

Likening Mr Blair to the former Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu, Mr Crow said public opinion was being ignored, but people could change things by taking part in Saturday's protest march.

Paul Mackey, leader of the college lecturers' union NATFE, said Tony Blair's premiership would fall if he did not change his mind on Iraq.

Peace role

With more UK troops heading for the Gulf region, UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has told the Guardian newspaper that British soldiers would play a key role in peacekeeping and rebuilding Iraq after any war.

Mr Hoon said British troops' peacekeeping abilities had been shown while undertaking duties in Kosovo and Afghanistan.

"Our forces are flexible, and they have been designed in a way to provide a number of military options, including the prospect of, in the first place, ensuring security in the immediate aftermath of a military operation," Mr Hoon said.

The troops would then engage in "preserving the peace and helping the process of rebuilding Iraq as a member of the international community, something which they've shown previously they are extremely good at".

This Friday, when weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei present their key report to the UN Security Council, will be "a very significant day", said Mr Hoon.

Despite any military conflict being led by the US, British troops would "ultimately" be under the control of the prime minister, said Mr Hoon.