Thursday 26 August 2010

EU Gains Speaking Rights At UN

According to EurActiv (my emphasis):
European Council and Commission representatives yesterday (24 August) confirmed reports that the United Nations is to grant the EU the right to speak at the body's General Assembly ahead of its 64th session, which starts on 15 September in New York.

Thus far, the EU has only had observer status at the UN. With the Lisbon Treaty, however...the EU's position at the UN appears to urgently require an upgrade.

According to Polish daily Rzeczpospolita, EU members France and the UK, who would hate to lose their influence in the UN Security Council, were initially reluctant to accept the idea. Ultimately, they have agreed to a compromise under which the head of EU diplomacy, Catherine Ashton, will have the right to speak on the EU's behalf in the General Assembly but not in the Security Council.

Ah, the good old compromise, which means the creeping influence of the EU can continue unabated via further demands in the future, until it replaces the Foreign and Commonwealth Office altogether. Oh and it will cost us another £8 million for the privilege:
BARONESS Ashton is poised to set up her new European Union diplomatic corps in palatial Brussels offices costing taxpayers more than £8million a year, it emerged last night.

EU officials were understood to be in advanced talks over leasing several floors of the gleaming Triangle building.

The top floor has already been earmarked as an office for Baroness Ashton, the Labour peer appointed to the new post of EU foreign affairs supremo last year.
Still, Lisbon was only a tidying up exercise, wasn't it?

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