Van Rompuy the New EU Emperor accused of power grab over EU foreign policy
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Sep 15, 2010, 3:37:14 AM9/15/10
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Perilous Times and The Revived Roman Empire
Van Rompuy the New EU Emperor accused of power grab over EU foreign policy
Herman Van Rompuy, the EU president, with the attitude and style of a Old Roman Emperor, has tried to sideline Baroness Ashton to seize control over key aspects of foreign policy.
Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Published: 7:00AM BST 15 Sep 2010
Mr Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council which brings together EU leaders, has been accused of supporting a French proposal to set up a "special task force" on strategic relations that would rival Lady Ashton, who is supposed to be in charge of Europe's foreign policy.
"He tried to overreach himself by getting Ashton and member states to report to him on their strategic relationships with China, India, Russia and the US. Meanwhile preparations for Thursday have not been up to standard," said an official.
The Daily Telegraph understands that the disarray and the squabble between the EU's president and foreign minister has been blamed for a "lack of focus" at a time when Europe is trying, and failing, to punch its weight against the US and China on the global stage.
Other sources have tried to blame Lady Ashton and meetings of foreign ministers, chaired by her, for the shambles. "Foreign ministers were meeting last weekend, their contribution has been smaller than expected and the task force was originally a French proposal," said an official.
Brussels officials see the latest in-fighting as part of an ongoing struggle between Mr van Rompuy, Lady Ashton and José Manuel Barroso over who is in charge of the EU after the controversial Lisbon Treaty entered into force last December.
The EU president's is said to be angry that national governments have rebuffed proposals giving him a powerful role in European "economic governance" and that Mr Barroso, not he, was asked to give a high profile "state of the union" speech to MEPs last week.
"He is really sore that the president of Europe was totally absent at the state of the union speech and that Barroso is making the economic proposals," said an EU source.
Senior EU diplomats and officials are concerned that "shambolic and suboptimal" preparations for a Brussels summit on Thursday on European foreign policy could set back Europe's relations with China and India.
The "disarray" has additionally threatened proposals to help flood devastated Pakistan recover economically by giving it trade concessions that would allow increased Pakistani textile imports into Europe.
EU officials, British and other diplomats are dismayed that a group of protectionist countries – led by France, Spain, Portugal and Italy – are opposed to the trade breaks and risk putting short-term economic interests over the EU's strategic foreign interests in helping Pakistan.
"We need to stop focusing on whose flag is on the table or who speaks first and to focus on the substance we need to make an impact," said a senior EU diplomat.
Van Rompuy the New EU Emperor accused of power grab over EU foreign policy
Herman Van Rompuy, the EU president, with the attitude and style of a Old Roman Emperor, has tried to sideline Baroness Ashton to seize control over key aspects of foreign policy.
Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Published: 7:00AM BST 15 Sep 2010
Mr Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council which brings together EU leaders, has been accused of supporting a French proposal to set up a "special task force" on strategic relations that would rival Lady Ashton, who is supposed to be in charge of Europe's foreign policy.
"He tried to overreach himself by getting Ashton and member states to report to him on their strategic relationships with China, India, Russia and the US. Meanwhile preparations for Thursday have not been up to standard," said an official.
The Daily Telegraph understands that the disarray and the squabble between the EU's president and foreign minister has been blamed for a "lack of focus" at a time when Europe is trying, and failing, to punch its weight against the US and China on the global stage.
Other sources have tried to blame Lady Ashton and meetings of foreign ministers, chaired by her, for the shambles. "Foreign ministers were meeting last weekend, their contribution has been smaller than expected and the task force was originally a French proposal," said an official.
Brussels officials see the latest in-fighting as part of an ongoing struggle between Mr van Rompuy, Lady Ashton and José Manuel Barroso over who is in charge of the EU after the controversial Lisbon Treaty entered into force last December.
The EU president's is said to be angry that national governments have rebuffed proposals giving him a powerful role in European "economic governance" and that Mr Barroso, not he, was asked to give a high profile "state of the union" speech to MEPs last week.
"He is really sore that the president of Europe was totally absent at the state of the union speech and that Barroso is making the economic proposals," said an EU source.
Senior EU diplomats and officials are concerned that "shambolic and suboptimal" preparations for a Brussels summit on Thursday on European foreign policy could set back Europe's relations with China and India.
The "disarray" has additionally threatened proposals to help flood devastated Pakistan recover economically by giving it trade concessions that would allow increased Pakistani textile imports into Europe.
EU officials, British and other diplomats are dismayed that a group of protectionist countries – led by France, Spain, Portugal and Italy – are opposed to the trade breaks and risk putting short-term economic interests over the EU's strategic foreign interests in helping Pakistan.
"We need to stop focusing on whose flag is on the table or who speaks first and to focus on the substance we need to make an impact," said a senior EU diplomat.
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