EU Selects New President
Photo: AP
The European Union has chosen its first full-time president - Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy. Leaders of the 27-member bloc also chose a woman for the second top job - British commissioner Catherine Ashton, who will be the EU's new foreign policy chief
At a press conference in Brussels, the European Union's President-elect Herman Van Rompuy offered a unifying message in English, Flemish and French - vowing to listen and take into account all the diverse views of the 27-member block.
"Europe must be in every member state's advantage," said Herman Van Rompuy. "This cardinal principle leds me to a two-track approach. First of all, I will consider everyone's interests and sensitivities. Even if our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth. Every country has its own history, its own culture, its own way of doing things. Our journey may be toward a common destination, but we will all bring along different luggage."
Von Rompuy also vowed to ensure that every country in the EU will emerge victorious from any decision taken. He becomes the new EU president January 1.
Von Rompuy's selection took place fairly swiftly over a dinner meeting among European leaders, after weeks of divisions over who would get the top job. In selecting the Belgian premier, they opted for a candidate able to cobble unity and compromise, rather than a high profile figure for the job.
EU leaders also sought balance in selecting Catherine Ashton, the British trade commissioner for the European Union, for the job as foreign minister. Ashton said she was proud to be selected for a high-profile role in an institution dominated by men. And she said she would deliver results.
"Am I an ego on legs? No I'm not," said Catherine Ashton. "Do I want to be seen as saying everything all the time? No I don't. Judge me on what I do and I think you'll be pleased and proud of me."
The moment of greatest levity - and complexity - came when a reporter asked who world leaders should dial when they wanted to speak to the European Union. That remains a tricky answer as the EU is still a federation of individual and independent states.
Herman Van Rompuy. File photograph of Baroness Catherine Ashton, who was chosen as the first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy has been chosen as the first permanent President of the European Council, at a meeting of European Union leaders today in Brussels.

Baroness Catherine Ashton of the United Kingdom has been selected as the first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The positions are both newly created by the Lisbon Treaty.

Following a week of negotiations, Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt was attempting to find a compromise among the leaders of the EU's 27 member states, after division over candidates had previously failed to result in a unanimous decision. Van Rompuy's selection finally took place today, and fairly quickly, over a dinner meeting among European leaders.

"I did not seek this high position, I didn't make any steps to achieve it, but from tonight I take on this task with conviction and enthusiasm," Van Rompuy said at a news conference after being chosen.

"Europe must be in every member state's advantage," he continued. "This cardinal principle leds me to a two-track approach. First of all, I will consider everyone's interests and sensitivities. Even if our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth. Every country has its own history, its own culture, its own way of doing things. Our journey may be toward a common destination, but we will all bring along different luggage."

He also promised to ensure that every country in the EU will emerge victorious from any decision taken. He is to officially become the EU president on January 1 of next year. 

Initially, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair was a popular candidate for President. However, the relatively unknown Van Rompuy, apparently backed by France and Germany emerged as a compromise. Germany had denied backing Van Rompuy, despite its ambassador to Belgium saying to the ''De Morgen'' newspaper that "The German government is in favour of Prime Minister Van Rompuy, and if his candidacy fails it will not be because of Berlin."