European Leaders Dismiss Concerns over New Top Appointments

Swedish PM and President-in-Office of the European Council Fredrik Reinfeldt (unseen) holds a toy with pictures of Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy, EC President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Trade commissioner Catherine Ashtone. Photo by EPA/BGNES

As questions, criticism and dismay swiftly followed the announcements of the first permanent EU president and foreign representative, European leaders have dismissed these concerns, praising the qualifications of the appointees.

"We got a candidate who brings consensus and whose political competence have long been tested and tried throughout his political career," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel of Van Rompuy.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said it had been "a very wise decision" to choose a candidate from "an important country but not one of the most important countries, so that no-one will feel excluded" from EU debate.

The President of the EU Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, also praised the appointments, saying it would be "impossible to find a better choice than those personalities for the European Union leadership".

Belgian PM Herman van Rompuy was named President of the European Council, while Briton Baroness Catherine Ashton was made EU foreign affairs supremo.

Critics say the pair has too low an international profile. Some say the jobs are less powerful than originally hoped, while others have expressed concern about the limited experience of the two leaders.

Turkish member of parliament Onur Oymen said he was concerned about what Van Rompuy's presidency could mean for Turkey's aspirations to join the EU.

He told the BBC's World Today that Van Rompuy had "said a few years ago that he was totally against Turkish membership because of religious and cultural reasons".

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