Brussels, 05/08/2009 (Agence Europe) - The former European Commissioner for External Relations (1999-04), Chris Patten, said that he would be prepared to accept the future post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and European Union Security Policy. This could lead to his return to the European Commission as Vice President and President of the Foreign Affairs Council.
In an interview to the Financial Times on Wednesday 5 August, Patten declared that, “I'm not campaigning for the job. But if I was approached…I would certainly be very positive”. The former Governor of Hong Kong, aged 65, is currently the Chancellor of Oxford University. Reputedly pro-European, this Conservative party member is also a member of the House of Lords. It is not the first time that he has been mentioned as a contender for one of the substantial number of posts to be announced: 27 European Commissioners, including the President and the Vice-President/High Representative, added to which (with the entry into force of the Lisbon treaty), the new Permanent President of the European Council. During the July plenary session, the co-president of the Greens/EFA, Daniel Cohn-Bendit mentioned Lord Patten as a possible successor to José Manuel Barroso if the latter failed to obtain the required majority at the European Parliament. (A.B./O.J./trans/rh)