EU's Ashton relaxed about Tories

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  • xman
    Admin
    • Sep 2006
    • 24007

    EU's Ashton relaxed about Tories


    The EU's foreign policy chief, Baroness Ashton, says she does not anticipate difficulties working with a Conservative-led UK government.Lady Ashton steered the Lisbon Treaty through the House of Lords - a treaty opposed by the Conservatives, who wanted it put to a referendum.

    William Hague, set to become UK Foreign Secretary, is "supportive" of her work, she told reporters in London.

    Some Conservatives fear the planned EU diplomatic corps could rival the UK's.

    Lady Ashton is setting up the new European External Action Service (EEAS) - a diplomatic corps with up to 7,000 staff, intended to give the EU international political clout to match its economic power.

    Avoiding conflict

    She was the surprise choice as new EU High Representative, and got the backing of all 27 EU governments last autumn after lobbying on her behalf by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

    "We're in touch with [UK] government departments all the time," Lady Ashton said, adding that her advice to UK Foreign Office diplomats would be "get to know your colleagues - and I'll facilitate that".

    She was speaking before the new Conservative-led coalition government was announced.

    She dismissed speculation that hostile Conservatives might try to oust her, saying she could only be removed if all 27 EU heads of government wanted that.

    There were "not big issues" between her and the Conservatives, she said.

    A leading Eurosceptic Conservative backbencher, Bill Cash, warned on Tuesday that defending UK sovereignty regarding Brussels was a "red line" issue.

    He made it clear that Conservative MPs would be watching out for any Liberal Democrat attempts to promote EU integration.

    Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, now deputy to Prime Minister David Cameron, was sharply critical of Mr Cameron's policy on Europe in the pre-election live television debates.

    Mr Clegg accused Mr Cameron of aligning his Conservative Euro MPs with "nutters, anti-Semites, people who deny climate change exists, homophobes".


    Tensions over Europe severely undermined the last Conservative administration, under John Major, which ended in 1997.This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.


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