French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin on Tuesday described Britain's annual rebate from the European Union (EU) budget as a relic of the "ancien regime."

"The British cheque is ... a legacy of the past, an antiquated legacy, no longer with any purpose," he told French parliament.

"This British cheque -- and I say it with all the friendship that I bear for the British people -- is a veritable expense from the ancien regime," he said.

Last week's EU summit failed in reaching agreement on EU budget for 2007-2013, especially after British Prime Minister Tony Blair refused to renegotiate the 4.5 billion euro (5.4 billion dollar) rebate only if the European Union agreed to changes in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which amount to 40 percent of the EU budget and will expire till 2013.

Villepin called the CAP a "major asset for Europe and for France", reiterating France's refusal to touch the CAP, from which France is the biggest beneficiary.

Source: Xinhua