Belgian minister publicly attacks EU foreign relations chief

Characterised by "silence" on important foreign policy issues, with little long-term strategy and poor management of her agenda - Belgium's foreign minister has painted a damning picture of EU high representative Catherine Ashton.

British, centre-left and female, Ashton's surprise appointment to the EU's top foreign policy post in late 2009 has on many occasions been characterised as an unattractive European stitch-up, but Steven Vanackere's criticism of the EU foreign relations chief ...