FRANCE AND GERMANY GET AWAY WITH DEFYING INTERNATIONAL LAW:

BRUSSELS, Nov 25 (Reuters) – Confusion and recrimination erupted on Tuesday after euro zone finance ministers effectively froze budget rules underpinning the euro by suspending disciplinary action against Germany and France in defiance of the European Commission.

Berlin and Paris will be asked for a political commitment to cut deficits that are set to break EU limits for the third year in a row in 2004, rather than being pushed along a disciplinary process whose ultimate sanction is a fine. . . .

Small states complained that the rules were being bent by the big countries to protect Germany and France, which have long been the EU’s central leadership axis.

Such shameless unilateralism and contempt for international organizations.