Ashton running out of friends?
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Catherine Ashton is in hot water again this week over a perceived British bias in her newly proposed diplomatic service. Just over 100 days in office and the honeymoon period is definitely over for the new EU foreign policy chief. In fact, some would argue that it never really began.
A leaked German confidential document claims that Britain has grabbed an “excessive” and “over proportionate” role in Ashton’s new diplomatic service. Her proposed 13 member team now contains three UK members and only one German.
While some are calling the criticism hasty as her proposal is not due until next month, critics have blasted her for taking so long to deliver any sort of vision, which they say has led to the EU’s current power vacuum.
The leaked confidential document now sees Berlin join Paris in their criticism of the new EU High Representative for foreign affairs. The main complaint is that Ashton is open to manipulation from London.
As well as her diplomatic service plans, she recently faced criticism over the appointment of former Lithuanian foreign minister Vygaudas Usackas as the new EU envoy to Afghanistan. Usackas was the British choice for the role.
Last week the French, Spanish and Dutch defence ministers blasted Ms Ashton for failing to attend a meeting of defence ministers and Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Majorca.
Ms Ashton has called the job a marathon but without the full support of the most powerful member states, it remains to be seen whether she can reach the finish line on her own.
