B2 Brussels2 The Blog

Political and defence Europe (by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

EEAS High Representative

Sikorski wants to be a good assistant to Lady Ashton

Radek Sikorski Friday in Warsaw in front of the press (© NGV)

(BRUSSELS2 to Warsaw) The Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Radek Sikorski, intends to be during the six months of the Polish presidency, a good “assistant” for Lady Ashton, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs.

Better use of the ministerial troika

« Catherine Ashton has an impossible agenda. She has the portfolio of two Commissioners, must coordinate the action of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (and of Defence) and create a real European Ministry of Foreign Affairs from scratch. he explained. And " even if it is not foreseen in the Lisbon Treaty, the ministerial troika could support the High Representative in areas where she considers it valuable »

Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, democratization

R. Sikorski will therefore chair the Kazakhstan Cooperation Council on behalf of the High Representative. He plans to assist her if she asks for more. For example during the trip to India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Afghanistan, a country he knows well, having traveled there for 25 years. " I will be a good assistant for Ashton he promises. " It is a pragmatic position that makes it possible to make our common foreign policy more effective and coherent. And this position is completely in line with the line of our presidency which wants to push for the democratization of our neighborhood ».

Lady Ashton would, in our opinion, have every interest in structuring this cooperation, in letting the Foreign Ministers play a greater role, rather than using them piecemeal, each time risking being overwhelmed.

Read also:

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

s2Member®