BERLIN: What to get the French president who has everything and is at his last EU summit? German Chancellor Angela Merkel decided the answer was an antique beer stein. At festivities for the 50th anniversary of the European Union Sunday, the diminutive German chancellor presented the towering French president with a rare 18th century mug during a luncheon for the 27 EU leaders.

“We gave him a beer mug to add to his collection,” a beaming Merkel told reporters after hosting a summit on the 50th anniversary of the EU's founding Treaty of Rome. “It's a piece of history,” she said, noting that it dated from a time when “Napoleon was fighting in Egypt.” “He has left his mark on Europe in a very positive sense,” she said. “There was a very generous round of applause for him” from the other EU leaders.

Chirac congratulated Merkel for hosting the European birthday party in Berlin, which included cultural events over the weekend throughout the capital and the signing of a declaration on the bloc's principles and goals.—AFP