New EU president, foreign policy chief chosen
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Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy Thursday was unanimously elected as the first full-time president of the European Union and Britain's EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton as foreign policy chief of the 27-nation bloc.
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Belgium's Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy attends a press conference after an EU summit at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Nov. 19, 2009. Van Rompuy was elected the first full-time EU President during an extraordinary summit in Brussels Thursday. [Thierry Monasse/Xinhua] |
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, announced the appointment at a press conference held after a working dinner of leaders of the 27 member states.
"Today, we decided the people who will lead Europe to the future," said Reinfeldt, with Van Rompuy, Ashton and President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso sitting beside him.
At the press conference, Van Rompuy said that the appointment "marks a recognition of my country as a founding member of the EU," adding he will assume his duty as EU's first permanent president on January 1, 2010.
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European Trade commissioner Catherine Ashtone attends a press conference after an EU summit at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, capital of Belgium, Nov. 19, 2009. Britain's Catherine Ashtone was elected EU foreign policy chief during an extraordinary summit in Brussels Thursday.[Thierry Monasse/Xinhua] |
"Even if it is particularly hard to abandon the post I hold in my country, I have accepted the decision," said the low-profile politician who became Belgian Prime Minister in December 2008.
Ashton termed herself as a good negotiator, citing merits of striking a trade agreement with South Korea and settling decade-long trade disputes with the US.
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