The EU’s new top jobs. After green light from Prague, more speculation about the new EU top jobs is going on, especially in the British media: Does Blair have a chance to become European Council president? Will Merkel join the smaller countries’ opposition front to Blair, or will she side with Sarkozy in endorsing the former British prime minister? But how will this job be defined? Does the EU want a committee chairman or give Europe a face in the world? Blair would only be available for the second, it is said. The only tangible news meanwhile: British foreign secretary David Milliband has endorsed Blair — and ruled himself out for the second top job, the High Representative for Foreign Policy, the BBC reports. The BBC’s Gavin Hewitt has a good round-up of the discussion. And, accidentally or not, David Miliband has an op-ed in the Times about Britain’s and the EU’s global role.
GAERC. Today and tomorrow the EU’s foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg. On the agenda: Iran, Middle East peace process (Solana returns from the region), Western Balkans (special focus on Bosnia), the adoption of an action plan to strengthen EU action in Afghanistan and Pakistan, conclusions on Sri Lanka. In addition, there will be meetings with the three South Caucasus countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), and a signing seremony of the Association agreement with Syria. All informations here.
EU sanctions on Guinea? In a NY Times op-ed, Ricken Patel from the global campaign network Avaaz.org urges the EU foreign ministers to sanction Guinea’s junta: “While the regime is weighing whether to hold on in isolation or step aside with an exit strategy, targeted E.U. sanctions could be the piece that tips the balance.”
German-US rift? Germany’s next foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, wants the remaining American nuclear weapons to be removed from German soil. While this will probably bring him some applause in Germany, especially on the left, it might irritate Washington and other NATO partners. The NY Times writes:
The new foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, who is the leader of the Free Democrats, wants to rid Germany of the remaining American nuclear weapons stationed here, signaling a big shift in relations with NATO and the United States because the issue until now has been largely taboo. Despite opposition from some of Mrs. Merkel’s conservatives, this demand was written into the 120-page coalition agreement.
But it would probably be wrong to see this a a sign of any policy of all. Westerwelle is a complete novice in foreign affairs, he made all his career on the domestic front. It is said that he mainly relies on the coaching by Germany’s long-time foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher (1974-1992).
If you read German, you can find more on Westerwelle on my new blog Westerwelle Watch. Eine Beobachtung des neuen deutschen Außenministers.
Read today on Global Europe: A force for peace. The new diplomatic service must embody European values, by Barbara Lochbihler, Member of the European Parliament for the Greens.
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