Brussels, 10/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - The die has not yet been cast regarding nominations for the post of permanent European Council president and that of high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, even after the informal meeting held by all 27 heads of state and government on the sidelines of festivities in Berlin on Monday evening (yesterday's EUROPE). The Swedish prime minister and current president-in-office of the European Council, Fredrik Reinfeldt, told journalists on Monday evening that he was still “half-way through” his consultations with his 26 colleagues and that he would convene an extraordinary summit in Brussels as soon as he has a “better overview” of the wishes of all parties. During this special summit, it will also be decided who will be the new secretary general of the Council of Ministers (a post held today by the CFSP High Representative), Mr Reinfeldt said. On Tuesday, diplomats say, Herman van Rompuy of Belgium still seemed to have the best chance of winning the post of European Council president although the British have still not given up defending Tony Blair for this post. The former British prime minister, who is openly contested by several member states, “is the only candidate put forward by London” for a European post, the head of government, Gordon Brown, said on Tuesday, confirming at the same time that his foreign minister, David Miliband, had “never” been interested in becoming High Representative.
In the meantime, Poland is calling for both nominations to be made after hearing the candidates before the European Council. In a document from the Polish foreign minister, seen by EUROPE, Warsaw suggests that the election of the future president of the European Council and of the high representative should be preceded by a “discussion of heads of state or government during which candidates would present their vision of how their tasks would be conducted”.
Finally, the government of the Czech Republic decided, on Tuesday, that the current minister for European affairs, Stefan Füle, will be the commissioner of Czech nationality in the Barroso II Commission. (H.B./transl.jl)