Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Poland against EU foreign minister post

Polish president Lech Kaczynski has said it is too early for the creation of an EU foreign minister post, following calls from Paris for a strengthened role for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Mr Kaczynski made his remarks in an interview with German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ahead of a two-day first visit to Berlin on Wednesday and Thursday (8-9 March).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

It is "too early for a European foreign minister," the Polish leader said, adding that the time is not ripe for the creation of a European diplomatic service either.

The Polish stance comes amid French calls for quicker implementation of single elements of the EU constitution to strengthen the EU’s voice in the world.

French president Jacques Chirac favours a stronger role for Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy chief, who would be asked to effectively operate as the union’s foreign minister as envisaged in the EU constitution.

Paris also believes it is possible to create a diplomatic service within the existing EU treaties.

Broader resistance

Diplomats told EUobserver that Paris' push for more foreign policy integration is also facing resistance in other capitals.

The French are currently gathering support for an "inventory" of measures, including an EU foreign minister post, which could be implemented on the basis of the existing treaties.

But Spain has spoken out against a piecemeal implementation of ideas from the EU constitution, arguing that it could lead opponents of the charter to say that the adoption of the whole text is unnecessary.

Spain approved the EU constitution by popular referendum last year and is pushing for the entire text to be adopted, despite the subsequent French and Dutch "no" votes to the text.

Small states like the Netherlands are also wary of a strengthened role for Mr Solana as he is seen as following the agenda of big member states France, Germany and the UK.

The Hague recently sharply criticised EU foreign policy saying it was not consulted before Mr Solana made alleged apologies to muslim countries on Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Mohamed.

Warsaw says constitution is dead

In the FAZ interview, Mr Kaczynski reiterated his opposition to attempts to revive the EU constitution.

He stated that those who take democracy seriously should recognise that French and Dutch voters rejected the text in their referendums last year.

"When we now see several manoeuvres to force through the project nevertheless, this has only very little chance of success."

Mr Kaczynski said the text is "not up to date anymore" as it leads to "quasi federal interim structures" for Europe is not ready.

Energy - NATO or OSCE ?

The Polish leader also pushed the idea of a NATO-style EU energy security pact, rebuffing German proposals that EU energy security should be modelled along the looser structure of the OSCE which also includes Russia.

"The OSCE is not a very vital organization," he said.

Energy is set to be one of the topics dominating talks between Mr Kaczynski and Ms Merkel, amid frequent criticism by Warsaw of Berlin’s signing of a bilateral deal with Moscow on a direct German-Russian gas pipeline bypassing Poland.

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us