Brussels, 31/08/2009 (Agence Europe) - It is still the hope of the Swedish Presidency that an agreement can be reached on the names of the future stable president of the European Council and of the high representative for the common foreign and security policy (HRCFSP) at the European Council of 29-30 October, but discussions on the identities of the candidates will not be able to start until after the Irish referendum on Treaty of Lisbon on 2 October and, of course, only then if the Irish approve the new treaty, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt announced on Monday. Starting this debate today would send out a "bad signal" to the Irish, he said, speaking after an interview with the Spanish prime minister José Luis Zapatero in Stockholm. Mr Zapatero, who will hold the Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2010, is of the opinion that the people to hold these two posts must be "natural born leaders capable of political leadership and being convinced of Europe", whilst enjoying a "broad consensus" within the EU27. When asked about Tony Blair, who is one of those who may stand for the Presidency of the European Council, Mr Zapatero laid great emphasis on the "respect" he has for the former British prime minister. Mr Reinfeldt and Mr Zapatero also pleaded for the process of the enlargement of the EU to be continued. (H.B./trans.fl)