Expatica: EU gets new figurehead but could face old headaches

Europe hopes the creation of the new posts, set to come into being in January, might answer the ex US secretary of state Henry Kissinger's famous question; who to call when you want to speak to Europe?

But it doesn't seem to have done so yet.

"I'm waiting anxiously for the first call," Van Rompuy told a press conference after he secured the post.

However Barroso, sharing the press platform with both new appointees, said after an embarrassing silence: "The Kissinger issue is now solved."

As Kissinger had been US secretary of state, Barroso said, "the secretary of state should call Cathy Ashton, she is our foreign minister."

So, if they want to know who to call to speak to Europe, they should first call Barroso to clarify whether to call van Rompuy or Ashton?

This used to be a lot easier - before Lisbon a single person (Javier Solana) was both Council Secretary General as well as High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma