The Head of the Diplomatic Service officially appointed
(In Luxembourg) Cathy Ashton, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, did not drag! Barely a few days after the adoption by the European Parliament of the last regulations necessary (1) for the establishment of the European External Action Service (alias the diplomatic service), and immediately these regulations endorsed by the 27 Ministers for European Affairs , gathered in Luxembourg, she announced, publicly, the first names of the "top". No last minute surprises. As announced (2), it is the French Pierre Vimont who takes the head of the service, at the post of "executive general secretary". And the Irishman O'Sullivan as "Chief Operating Officer" (*).
NB: The two other appointments of Deputy Secretaries General should follow during the week (probably Wednesday). They are the German Helga Schmidt and the Polish Maciej Popowski (3).
«I promised to name the brightest and with Pierre Vimont and David O'Sullivan I did just that commented Cathy Ashton. " Pierre is held in very high regard by the diplomatic community and will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise on foreign policy issues. David has served in the highest capacity in the European Commission, as well as diplomatic experience. In their respective roles, they will contribute to creating a European diplomatic service of which the European population can be proud. “said Catherine Ashton.
These words are not stolen. With these two high-flying diplomats, and those who will follow (the two Deputy Secretaries General then the Directors General), the diplomatic service has a head, well done, well balanced and which has many supports in all the European machinery as in several Member States. What is essential...
(*) I don't have a translation to offer, basically a general secretary in the usual sense of the term, ie an "administrative" director where the first is essentially political. The Board uses the term "Administrative General Manager". Which is not a very happy expression. I would prefer that of "Administrative General Secretary". And if we could take a parabola, I think the most accurate image would be that of the DOS Disk Operating System, the software that allows a computer or computer system to operate and read programs.
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