EU edges closer to decision on whether to give top job to Blair (2)

European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso attends a press conference after the first day of the European Union (EU) Summit in Brussels, capital of Belgium, on Oct. 29, 2009. Leaders of 27 EU member states have met here on Thursday for a two-day summit to discuss climate change, financing, EU institutional and economic issues.(Xinhua/Thierry Monasse)
The other leaders on Thursday agreed to his insistence on special guarantees that exclude the Czech Republic from the treaty's human rights charter, a move that specifically ensures that the descendants of ethnic Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after World War II cannot claim compensation.

"Today we have removed the last political hurdle, so we will soon have the Lisbon Treaty in place," said Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the European Commission.

The Czech Constitutional Court is widely expected to rule next week against an appeal brought by Klaus supporters to scupper the treaty. European leaders are confident the treaty would finally be approved.

Once the treaty is adopted, the race for the presidency and the post of high representative for foreign policy (a sort of EU foreign minister) can begin in earnest.

Behind the debate over Blair is an argument over what the new post would represent. Blair's supporters want a strong personality, able to represent the EU on the world stage and hold his own with the leaders of other powers.

Others want a low-profile figure that will chair EU summits and work behind the scene to build consensus among other national leaders. Hence, the backing for the likes of veteran EU insider Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg, or the generally competent but unexciting Dutch premier Jan Peter Balkenende.

Others say the EU needed a woman in the top job, sparking speculation about former Irish president Mary Robinson or Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the 71-year-old Latvian ex-president.

Blair has had some political heavyweights come out in his favor, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi. However, Brussels insiders feel opposition from smaller countries is too strong, which suggests that a more consensual candidate will emerge.

If Blair doesn't get the top job, British media are touting Foreign Minister David Miliband as a potential EU foreign policy supremo, even though he insisted he was not available. Other likely candidates include Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt or Olli Rehn, a Finn who currently heads the EU department dealing with nations that want to join the union.

Those two appointments are also part of a wider share of prime positions in the 27-member European Commission -- the influential body which initiates all EU laws and oversees the day-to-day running of the bloc.

Barroso was confirmed last month for a second term as president of the commission, but decisions still have to be made on who gets key posts such as commissioners of trade, economic affairs and energy policy.

No conclusions on names to seats were expected at the two-day summit that wraps up Friday, as the EU judged it was unseemly to move ahead before the Czech constitutional issues are resolved.

"It's no use to start a name process if you don't have the treaty. Once we have that, we will act swiftly," said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who chaired the summit and whose name was emerging as yet another on the list of politicians tipped for the new top job.

Source: Xinhua

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