It is understood that he would have been unsure of taking the post when the Swedish government, which holds the rotating EU presidency, indicated in a paper on Wednesday that the president would have little or no role in foreign affairs.

This appeared to run counter to the Lisbon treaty, which said the president would oversee foreign policy in conjunction with the high representative.

"In conjuction with". Some spin there, dear Guardian!

The President of the European Council shall, at his level and in that capacity, ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Methinks the superiority of the High Representative is clear...

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

'Sapere aude'

This is disingenuous -of course there's nothing in the treaty to disqualify Brits particularly (though I would like to see the EU starting to suggest that they leave if they don't want to integrate, something unlikely with a Brit as foreign affairs secretary).

To start with, you know that there are symbols in those appointments. And this is an unfortunate one, particularly for the foreign affairs position, given the recent past. We are talking about the country that did the most to ensure that the EU could never have a coherent policy, at any rate a coherent policy not decided in Washington.

The symbolism of appointing to possibly the most important position in the EU someone from an anti-European integration country is hard to swallow. If she had fought tooth and nail to get the UK to be more pro-European I would of course waive her nationality as a point of regrets, but that is far from being the case.

Then, you also know that EU appointees rarely sever the ties with their home country and do take some instructions -again, not exactly a nice outcome in that regard.

Plus, she did get to her position via peerage. It's not just that she's a baronness -it's that it's BECAUSE she's a baronness that she has a political existence at all. Again, a very unpleasant symbol.

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi

Herman Van Rompuy and Baroness Ashton land top EU jobs - Telegraph

The little-known Belgian federalist and the Labour peer who has never held elected office were selected at a meeting in Brussels.

EU leaders chose the Belgian prime minister as the first President of the European Council. Britain's European Trade Commissioner was made the High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/19/tony-blair-european-council-president

Two grey, 'unknown', unelected people, one appointed by a king and one by the antisocial bliar party.  One from a small country, one from the big, anti-EU country;  One 'conservative', one misnamed 'socialist', ---since it's their two-party Europe---- neither discussed in public until the eleventh hour.  

We not only not get a chance to elect them, but we are misguided until it's a done deal between 7 men and 1 woman?  

<snark> So generous of the patriarchy to give women a baroness in the name of 'equality'. </snark>  

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

What, you mean these this?

"Turkey is not a part of Europe and will never be part of Europe. An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past," he said.

"The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are fundamental values of Christianity, will loose vigour with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey."

Turkey may not ready to enter the EU right now, but "will never be" is a bit unimaginative, isn't it?

La Chine dorme. Laisse la dormir. Quand la Chine s'éveillera, le monde tremblera.

1. a Brit in charge of financial regulation would ensure that nothing is done. With Barnier getting the job at Sarkozy's behest, it's at least an open question;

2. given her lack of foreign policy experience, it's hard to know how Baroness Ashton will turn out in the job. Will she be driven by Foreign Office guys, or by Brussels bureaucrats? No idea, but at least an open question - and with a social/anti-nuke background, there's some seeds of hope...

She was picked for the role after long-time friend and ally Gordon Brown persuaded other EU leaders to throw their weight behind her.

The prime minister praised the "brilliant" job that she had done as EU trade commissioner, a job which she has held for just over a year.

While her appointment will be seen as underwhelming in some quarters and not the heavyweight figure many hoped for the role, Baroness Ashton is used to shaking off criticism and getting on with the job.

If they had appointed someone like Moratinos or Blidt to the Foreign Policy role, they would have gotten themselves an activist supranational foreign minister. A nightmare for the states.

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

O, noes! They appointed an anorak to an EU top job!

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