11.   Britain has pledged to obstruct EU business until an agreement is reached on fully lifting the ban on British beef.

12.   Britain has pledged to obstruct EU business until a Brussels ban on its beef is lifted.

13.   But Rifkind warned in Rome late on Wednesday that despite this reciprocal gesture of goodwill, Britain would maintain its underlying policy of obstructing EU business.

14.   Eggar said that he hoped and believed that this would be the last occasion on which a British minister would obstruct business over the cow crisis.