Silenced diplomacy
Civitas, 24 February 2010
The EU’s new High Representative for Foreign and Security Affairs, Catherine Ashton, may find her promised “quiet diplomacy” becomes barely audible in some international quarters, writes Natalie Hamill, after one of the EU’s most important Foreign Relations posts was handed to a close political friend of the EU Commission President.
The EU’s Lisbon Treaty creates a new diplomatic body called the European External Action Service (EEAS) – former EU Commission delegations will become a part of the EEAS and EU Delegates will be responsible to Catherine Ashton. However, the European Commission has already stepped on Ashton’s toes and appointed Portuguese Joao Vale de Almeida as the head the EU Delegation in Washington. He also happens to be the former head of staff to EU Commission President Barroso, and a close political ally.
Carl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, has sent a ‘strongly worded’ letter questioning how Ashton made the appointment, as the decision process is still under discussion between member states.
Vale de Almeida’s appointment reeks of cronyism, tinged with a conscious effort by Barroso to bypass the under-qualified Ashton when it comes to transatlantic decision-making. At the same time the appointment will broaden Barroso’s power; he will be just one chum away from controlling EU relations with the US.
Many at the Commission have defended the choice of EU Ambassador to the US by citing that Mr Vale de Almeida has, for the last couple of months, been the EU’s Director-General for External Relations. Barroso also said Vale de Almeida’s appointment “testifies to our political commitment to enhance and deepen the transatlantic relationship in a crucial moment for bilateral relations”. Carl Bildt, however, described the appointment as a “downgrade” for EU representation in Washington. The last post-holder was the former PM of Ireland, Mr Bruton, who was widely known in international and American circles. Mr Barroso’s friend, whilst a highly respected Eurocrat, is not of the same calibre internationally.
High-level EU appointments have frequently been controversial (as Catherine Ashton knows only to well) partly because the EU suffers from rivalry between institutions and member states. The Lisbon Treaty promised to change this, particularly in the field of foreign policy, which should now be the responsibility of Baroness Ashton. However, by failing to outline the specific responsibilities of certain positions, the Lisbon Treaty has left Catherine Ashton to mould her own job specification. With EU leaders snatching what influence they can, Ashton may find that her “quiet diplomacy” becomes little more than a whisper.