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Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton became the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the EU

Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton on Nov. 19 became the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the European Union.

little-known Belgian federalist, former Prime Minister of Belgium, and member of the British House of Lords Labor Party has never elected representatives were appointed by the European leaders for senior positions at the EU meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

Rompe Wang, an economist who writes poetry, was almost unknown to anyone outside of Belgium, until it became a favorite in the struggle for the post of EU president, who apparently does not eclipse the national leaders. Consistent supporter of European integration, it supports measures such as the European single tax on all financial transactions for the financing of the EU.

unexpected combination emerged after the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown refused to support his successor, Tony Blair, pretender to the presidency, and instead nominated Ashton as head of the Foreign Ministry. This was a surprise to the European leaders also because Ashton has no diplomatic experience, notes the Daily Telegraph. Until last year she held minor posts in the British Government, and then she was sent to Brussels as a temporary replacement of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mendelsona who returned to Brown’s government.

appointment of little-known candidates for two key post reflects the reluctance of European leaders give too much power to Brussels. In the original plan, the two positions created by the Lisbon Treaty were to give the EU a single voice on the international arena.