MEPs say no agreement on diplomatic service next week

Members of the European Parliament say a political agreement on the diplomatic service will not be manageable before an EU leaders summit next week, depriving EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton of a symbolic victory.

Ms Ashton had been pushing for a final negotiating meeting on Friday (11 June) and for political groups in the European Parliament to signal their broad backing for the service blueprint by Monday.

This would have have allowed foreign ministers later that day t...