Brussels, 08/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The member states back EU High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission (HRVP) Catherine Ashton and defend her against the raft of criticism since she came to office in December 2009 but expect her to change her ideas on how the new European External Action Service, EEAS (diplomatic corps), should look because her initial ideas have been described as giving too much power to the European Commission (see EUROPE 10092). This was the main outcome of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Cordoba on Saturday 6 March. There is general discontent among the member states at the moment, explained Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger. The EU fears that Catherine Ashton, who is due to unveil her ideas about the creation of the new EU diplomatic corps by the end of the month, will give too many powers to the European Commission and thereby undermine the coherence and effectiveness of the corps, watering down the impact of the EU's foreign action around the world. The European Development Fund, EDF, for example, that might remain in the Commission's hands (this is one of the three options set out by Ashton in a recent working document, see EUROPE 10092) although development aid is seen as an important EU foreign policy tool. Or the Commission's right to intervene in the appointment of heads of EU delegations and it powers to give them direct instructions itself. This has not gone down well among foreign ministers, who politely told Ashton as much. At a press conference, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, who chaired the meeting in Cordoba, put it very diplomatically, saying that the HRVP must receive all the instructions she needs to carry out a coherent and effective foreign policy on behalf of the EU. In other words, there is no outlet for inter-institutional power games, claimed the ministers. At a press conference, Catherine Ashton said she would ensure that all the institutions were satisfied. She said that on a personal level, she did not feel “uncomfortable” at all in her position of having to serve two masters - the member states and the Commission - saying that: “We're getting together and collaborating around those different ideas and making it, if you like, fit so that all the institutions are comfortable with it.” The Baroness does not see any problem with the controversy around the new corps' powers and operations, quite the opposite in fact: “I want to pay tribute to all the institutions, to the Commission, the Foreign Affairs Council and to the Parliament, who have been very busy and active in giving me ideas and thoughts. I think that's really positive, not negative”. In Cordoba, the ministers assured her that she had their full support ahead of a very important week for the EEAS because on Wednesday 10 March, the HRVP will discuss the issue with the European Parliament. MEPs' support will be crucial because the Financial Regulation and the Regulation on officials' terms and conditions, both of which are vital in the setting up of the new diplomatic corps, will have to be adopted using the codecsion procedure. This week, the College of EU Commissioners will be deciding on its own views on the subject. Ashton's future proposals will require the Commission's green light. The EU27 is expected to discuss the HRVP's draft proposals at a Foregoing Relations Council on 22 March 2010 and they will also be discussed at the European Council (of heads of state) in Brussels on 25 and 26 March 2010. The Spanish Presidency is still hoping that the Council of Ministers will reach a decision on the EEAS at the end of April 2010. (H.B./transl.fl)