EU Diplomacy Acts Tough But Talks Soft, Again

Jean-Jacques Mével, Le Figaro (in French) | January 12, 2010

As Baroness Ashton, the brand new face of EU foreign policy, is auditioned by the European parliament, scepticism prevails. ++ The new head of European diplomacy is neither convincing nor federating. ++ Silence remains over hot topics such as Afghanistan and Iraq. ++ And uncertainty hangs over who will lead the EU at last, among Barosso, Van Rompuy and the 27 national foreign affairs ministers despite an allegedly more coherent EU scheme. ++ This is obviously prudence on the part of Ashton, being carefully scrutinized from all sides.