Brussels, 14/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - MEPs at their plenary session in Strasbourg on Monday 14 January, called for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton to be present at the foreign policy debates on Wednesday 16 January, and for the situation in Mali to be added to the programme that has been planned. However, Ashton is only available on Tuesday 15 January, due to other engagements.
Highlighting that it “would not be conceivable in any national parliament for a minister not to stand before it” and that “as a member of the Commission or of the Council one cannot say that one's diary does not allow one to come”, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz considered this “a lack of respect on the part of the High Representative” (our translation). He had earlier stated that Ashton had proposed coming on Tuesday, which would consequently have badly upset the agenda. Schulz said that he was going to contact Ashton's staff and the group presidents in order to find a solution. At the time of going to press, the decision on Ashton's intervention was still not known. (CG/transl.fl)