Brussels, 21/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - Full-time Council President Herman Van Rompuy will convene a special European Council, most probably on 16 September, to be entirely devoted to EU foreign policy. Exceptionally, foreign ministers and High Representative Catherine Ashton will take part in this European Council which will prepare for the 65th General Assembly of the United Nations, the general debate of which is due to take place in New York from 21 September to 1 October 2010. Van Rompuy wants heads of state and government and their ministers to discuss in detail how the EU could improve cooperation with its main strategic partners (United States, China, Russia, India, etc.) on global issues. Discussion will also touch on more sensitive matters, such as Iran and the Middle East. It was intimated in the conclusions of the March European Council that a special summit would be convened. The Lisbon Treaty states that the full-time Council President, at his level and in that capacity, will ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy, without prejudice to the High Representative's appointments. It is Herman Van Rompuy, too, who will chair summits with third countries at which he is expressing the EU position on foreign policy matters. “It is only right, then, that the European Council should become more involved than in the past in foreign policy to be able to provide the president with the guidance he needs to be able to fulfil his role with regard to third countries,” a source close to Van Rompuy said. With the special foreign policy summit, Van Rompuy is continuing his policy of increasing the number of European Council meetings (from 2011, they will meet virtually every month - see EUROPE 10080), with the focus each time on one or two specific issues. It is already planned that the European Council of October 2010 will be given over entirely to innovation. (H.B./transl.rt)