The Twelve Labors of Hercules by C. Ashton (High Representative) for the PeSDC

(B2) Far from pessimism, the (small) disappointment passed, the appointment of Catherine Ashton as head of European diplomacy should not make us forget that the new High Representative has five years to prove herself.

But the Baroness will have little time to get to work. The PeSDC is already on track and a series of advances have been made in recent years by its predecessor, Javier Solana. Many files are therefore on the table and choices have to be made - quickly - and convictions to be passed on.

We will then be able to perceive whether the British nationality of the new High Representative will help convince our friends across the Channel - often in the background, even downright reluctant, and who will have a new government - to change their minds.

Beware of first impressions which are not always the right ones.... We will have every opportunity to come back to this blog to find out if behind this face, which is not automatically the most graceful (1), the choice of efficiency is not preferable to that of glory.

At the operational level:

- The first and most urgent work is the continuity of the European anti-piracy operation EUNAVFOR Atalanta (read: Atalanta's one-year review and its renewal in a context normally peaceful but made complicated by the taking hostage by Somali pirates of two Britons. There are fears that the British media will demand accountability from the chief executive of the operation. Even if we know full well that this type of action is above all a matter for national authorities - assault or negotiation, ransom or pressure - it is also a fact that the European operation has brought to one or the other nation concerned by the hostage taking all its support and the necessary means, surveillance planes and supply boat for the capture of Alakrana (read: The liberated Alakrana, escorted by the Spanish ships of Atalanta, hospital ship for the assault on the Ponant, etc...).

- the second of the works, just as strategic (if not more so) in the region, is the setting up and successful completion of theSomali soldiers training operation in Uganda. Delicate point for the British, because the United Kingdom is precisely the country which is the most reluctant on this point (see also: the british stranger).

- the third challenge is to quickly find the personnel (and the budgets) necessary for thepolice operation in Afghanistan. It still lacks a few hundred people to reach full strength, 400 people. Which is very little and would even deserve to be doubled or tripled if we want to achieve the objectives targeted by the Afghan authorities: an operational police force of 160.000 men.

- the fourth is the conclusion of an agreement between Europeans on the end ofmilitary operation EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina in its current form and its transformation into a non-executive operation with a reduced wing (200 men). If we don't do it in order, the contributions will be reduced and the operation will no longer have the effective means. France, the United Kingdom (precisely) have already left. Spain like Poland could follow. This subject will be on the agenda of the first Foreign Affairs Council (versus Lisbon) in December.

- the fifth is the restart of the operation of border surveillance EUBAM Rafah (which is certainly the biggest challenge, the Europeans having few means of pressure on the Israelis for this).

- the last challenge is the possible intervention of a battle group (whose concept has just been relaxed recently, read: (Slightly) more flexible battlegroups ). Established since 2007, the EU's light rapid reaction force only gets one chance to demonstrate the validity (or not) of its concept. We can be sure that the international news will be able to provide its share of violence and offensives which could require a European intervention, whether it is an evacuation of Europeans. It is still necessary at this time that the European political will is there.

More generally, we will have to see if the EU will be able to react as well to crises in the coming years as it has done in the last 18 months (Russia/Georgia, rebels/Chad, pirates/Indian Ocean. ..). Without being too pessimistic, let's be sure that in the Caucasus, the Great Lakes region, West Africa, the Middle East, the borders of India (Pakistan, Nepal, ...), Sri Lanka, even Central America will be able to remind us of healthy realities: we do not live in a peaceful world.
Gordon Brown and Catherine Ashton behind the scenes at the Council (photo credit: CUE)

At the organizational and industrial level:

- the first task of the new High Representative will be to set up and organize the new structure which brings together the men and women of the European Commission and the Council, the foreign diplomatic service, the new civil-military leadership, and the adjustment between civilians and soldiers who will thus enter fully into a civilian administration par excellence, the European Commission (the friction could be numerous...).

- He will also have to provide the EU with a Operational HQ, civilian AND military. This amounts to obtaining an agreement between Europeans which has never been possible (and especially the agreement of the British).

- In application of the Lisbon Treaty, it will be necessary to set up the Permanent structured cooperation and to move it from textual provision to political reality.

- Give more resources to theEuropean Defense Agency (chaired by the High Representative) will not be easy in a period of budgetary restriction, but it seems necessary if we want to carry out certain projects. We also know that several attempts have been made and have failed to provide the agency with a multi-year budget (butting on the British bone). Hopefully with a Top
British representative, it will be otherwise.

- Negotiate withNato a new cooperation framework should also be a long-term objective. Of course, the first priority is to resolve the Turkish-Cypriot problem which "pollutes" relations between the Alliance and the EU (by preventing the formalization of exchanges of confidential information during operations). But it could also be good to update the Berlin + agreement and to forge closer but also more equal ties.

I pass over a whole series of organizational "details" which are of no strategic importance but could nevertheless occupy the minds a little. We quote:

• the very name of the High Representative - should we say Madam High Representative, Madam High Representative (2)... -;
• the emblem of the new service - now that the EU has an external action service (without going so far as the logo with the image of the Department of State -;)
• its location - the Charlemagne, no doubt, but adjustments are no doubt necessary -;
• the secure information circuits - these are not only practical and technical provisions but to see within the Commission how and to whom this information must circulate, the rule of collegiality and inter-services will find a limit here -; finally, visits to the main missions and operations of the EU should be considered
• - a more becoming outfit for this type of exercise (avoiding the suit, which is not very suitable, it would perhaps be a barbour®, a bit chic, or the navy outfit which often remains well suited... but I lost !).

NB: I have not addressed all the foreign policy issues which are no less numerous and no less crucial than those relating to European defense: the Iranian nuclear issue, relations with Russia, peace in Middle East (where a certain Tony Blair is at the helm of the Quartet, without much success so far), Afghanistan, Sudan, Guinea, Eritrea, Yemen, Zimbabwe, etc.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(1) Some readers have told me that I would not have dared to make the same remark for a man, I invite them to look at the "post" on the appointment of Van Rompuy...

(2) (Updated: November 23) It is this terminology that seems to be retained by his cabinet: the High Representative.

(photo credit: Council of the European Union + US State)