Angela Merkel

Baroness, Bard and Blair: reaction to EU appointments

Labourlist (Free subscription) | 2 hours ago

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982 I was in a meeting when I heard that Baroness Cathy Aston and Herman Van Rompuy would be High Representative and President of the European Council. My reaction, like many people's, was of confusion turning quickly into concern that the whole saga would recede to eventual irrelevance for the positions which have been the topic of weeks of heated debate and speculation...

Merkel halted Blair's EU candidacy

The Guardian (Free subscription) | yesterday

Tony Blair warned Gordon Brown a week ago that his campaign to become the first president of the European Council was doomed after a decisive intervention by the German chancellor Angela Merkel, according to senior Whitehall sources. To the dismay of key ministers, who wanted Brown to push for Britain to take an economic portfolio in the European commission once Blair's hopes were dashed, Brown insisted...

Merkel has 'full trust' in new EU leaders - Summary

The Earth Times Online Newspaper (Free subscription) | yesterday

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the appointment of the EU's two new top officials on Friday, saying she had full trust in EU President Herman Van Rompuy and foreign policy High Representative Catherine Ashton. The chancellor appr...

Here SHE is! The New EU President

Keep Tony Blair For PM (Free subscription) | yesterday

Here SHE is! The New EU President. Angela Merkel.

Labour peer Lady Ashton appointed as new EU foreign minister in Brussels

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009

In the space of a few minutes in Brussels , Cathy Ashton found herself catapulted into the international limelight as one of the world's most powerful women. It is a quite spectacular rise by any standards. Thirteen months ago she was a junior member of the British cabinet, the leader of the House of Lords, pushing through government bills. Last night she was commissioned to represent the foreign...

The soft power of Cathy Ashton

LabourWomen (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

She may have been a surprise candidate and she may be new to the field of foreign policy, but the election of Baroness Catherine Ashton as first EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs is an excellent choice. It is not only a good sign for the EU that one of the two new top jobs went to woman. Cathy, as she prefers to be called, brings along a certain kind of soft power to the job: She is known...

Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010

Seattle Times (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Thursday for all countries to fix binding climate change targets next year at the latest, acknowledging that no such deal is likely at global talks in Copenhagen next month.

• Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010 - Physorg
• Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010 - Examiner
• See the 6 articles on the same subject

Germany calls for climate deal by 2010

Sydney Morning Herald (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for all countries to fix binding climate change targets next year at the latest.

Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010

Miami Herald (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Friday for all countries to fix binding climate change targets next year at the latest, acknowledging that no such deal is likely at global talks in Copenhagen next month.

Germany calls for binding climate deal in...

Tom Nelson (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010 | ajc.com BRUSSELS — German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Friday for all countries to fix binding climate change targets next year at the latest, acknowledging that no such deal is likely at global talks in Copenhagen next month. In a joint press conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, she said they were both worried that ambitions for...

EU Leaders Deadlocked Over President Decision

The Huffington Post (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

BRUSSELS — The European Union's 27 leaders were facing an all-nighter Thursday as a bruising battle loomed over naming the bloc's first full-time president and new foreign policy chief. Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, chairman of the EU summit, said despite his best efforts at mediation, the EU leaders were deadlocked before Thursday night's dinner to decide who will represent the...

EU leaders arrive in Brussels for top jobs summit

The Earth Times Online Newspaper (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

Brussels - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged fellow European Union leaders to rally behind the most suitable candidates for the bloc's top posts. We need suitable candidates and broad consensus, Merkel said as she arrived in Bruss...

Leaders in last-minute attempt to decide top European Council roles

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

Opposing groups try to find consensus on who should take presidential and foreign minister roles ahead of Brussels summit The leaders of Europe's main political tribes conferred in Brussels this afternoon in an attempt to hammer out a last-minute consensus on who should be the top two people running the EU's new Lisbon regime ahead of a crucial Brussels summit. While Christian democratic government...

• Tony Blair out of EU President race after Gordon Brown switches support - News Scotsman
• European Union tries to pick a King President - Chas' Compilation
• See the 5 articles on the same subject

Germany to Extend Afghanistan Mission: Merkel

Palestinian Pundit (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

Al-Manar "18/11/2009 Germany's cabinet agreed Wednesday to extend by one year the mandate for its up to 4,500 troops in Afghanistan, Chancellor Angela Merkel said . "In a regular cabinet meeting, we decided to get the process of extending the mandate underway," Merkel told reporters. The lengthening of the mandate is subject to parliamentary approval before it expires in December. Foreign...

Blair Redux?

Boulton (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009

Is Tony Blair about to make the most remarkable political come back since Winston Churchill? The Blair Camp is playing down his chance of being chosen as the new President of the EU council variously putting it at “1 in 10” and “less than likely”. But the fact remains – as Sky News has consistently reported unlike almost all our British rivals – that the name of...