The Obama "snub" continues to gather headlines in today's papers. PJ Crowley, the US Assistant Secretary of State, today confirmed that the uncertainty created by the new posts created under the Lisbon Treaty had been a major factor in Obama's decision to withdraw, saying:
"Because of the changes involving the establishment of a EU council president and a European commission president on top of the rotating EU presidency, I think it's taking some time to work through exactly how various high-level meetings will happen."
And it seems it's not only the Americans who haven't got a clue who they're meant to be talking to. Le Figaro notes that, on his visit to the EU this week, Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj was left perplexed as to which of the EU's various presidents he was speaking to at any one time. After one meeting, he said:
“I have just been received by the European Council President, I was received yesterday by the President of the European Parliament and after this meeting I will meet the President of the European Council...Er...”
Quite.
Well, as long as Rumpy Pumpy's new palace (the Rompuyaeum) isn't built, we can expect to see them haggling for power in this fashion.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, it's my bet that the rotating presidency will gradually lose power to the permanent presidency (due to the lesser stability) whereas the president of the commission will accrue his own power as an individual: for instance, Barroso, who is moving in a purely personal interest.
Anyhow, it's good to see the lisbon lovers dismayed at the thought that the oh-so-evil Irish No voters could have been (God forbid!) right.