EU to Name New Foreign Minister on November 19th

Curt Here...

Just a quick update as it looks like the date of November 19Th will be the date the EU selects it's first president and first foreign minister under the ratified Lisbon Treaty. These selections will occur at a EU summit called specifically for this purpose. There was some speculation earlier this week that this would be accomplished faster, but after a few days of behind the scenes negotiations it is clear the powers that be in Brussels have not yet reached an agreement on who should head these posts.

A couple of interesting developments as it appears that Tony Blair and David Miliband, both from the UK have been eliminated as possible candidates. The current leading candidate for the position of EU president is Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy, and since Miliband took himself out of consideration for the FM position there does not appear to be a anyone right now that is currently favored.

Could Javier Solana be sitting in the shadows, waiting to ride in and save the day?

Stay Tuned

Curt

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

EU to name first permanent president on 19 November

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Swedish presidency has called an EU summit on 19 November to decide on the bloc's new top appointments, with a Polish proposal to hold candidate hearings gaining limited acceptance.

The summit will be in the format of an EU leaders' dinner in Brussels and comes after two weeks of consultations between Stockholm and the other EU capitals.

"It is hoped that at the summit, agreement can be reached on the appointment of the three new top EU posts regulated in the Treaty of Lisbon," the presidency said in a statement on Wednesday morning (11 November).

The move will be a significant moment in the history of the EU, which started out as a free trade bloc 50 years ago but which is little by little acquiring the trappings of a genuine political union.

The three positions in question are the new president of the European Council and EU foreign relations chief, as well as the largely bureaucratic appointment of a new secretary general of the Council, the Brussels-based institution which prepares member states' day-to-day meetings.

Gossip still favours Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy for the presidency post but British foreign minister David Miliband's denials of interest in the second post have thrown the race open on the foreign relations side.

For more click the link...
http://euobserver.com/9/28973/?rk=1