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Britain’s new man in Brussels an experienced negotiator

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Britain's new EU ambassador is a veteran diplomat chosen to bring toughness and experience but also to calm civil servants restive over London's cryptic Brexit strategy, former colleagues and experts said Thursday.

Tim Barrow, the man charged with ironing out the path to Brexit, has handled Britain's rocky relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past six years as the ambassador to Moscow.

He is also an old hand in the corridors of Brussels, having done two stints in the mission he now heads, and spent years in key Europe roles in the Foreign Office.

British civil servants are reportedly frustrated by a lack of clarity from Prime Minister Theresa May's government, as she prepares to trigger two years of EU exit negotiations within the next three months.

Barrow, as London's permanent representative to the European Union, will play a key role in thrashing out Britain's future relations with the bloc.

Tom Fletcher, a former British ambassador to Lebanon and ex-foreign policy adviser to three prime ministers, said: "It's the toughest negotiation in our lifetimes and I think he is up to it."

"I have seen him in Brussels. He knows the corridors, he knows the characters," he told BBC radio.

Tim Barrow  has handled Britain's rocky relationship with Russia over the past six years as the...
Tim Barrow, has handled Britain's rocky relationship with Russia over the past six years as the ambassador to Moscow
Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP/File

"I saw him in Moscow where he was incredibly resilient as ambassador there, dealing with Putin in a very testing time in our relationship and Tim had a reputation of being bulletproof out there."

Before becoming the ambassador to Russia, Barrow was at Britain's EU embassy in Brussels as the UK representative to the bloc's political and security committee and ambassador to the Western European Union from 2008 to 2011.

- 'Muddled thinking' -

He replaces Ivan Rogers, who quit nine months early on Tuesday so that his successor could see through the whole divorce process.

But Rogers left with sharp words ringing in the ears of civil servants, amid claims he had been undermined by ministers who did not like what he was telling them from Brussels.

He sent an email to staff condemning "ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking" over Brexit and made it clear even he was still in the dark over May's objectives.

The Times newspaper said civil servants were getting restive over the whole situation.

Former British prime minister David Cameron (left) pictured with the UK's then ambassador to th...
Former British prime minister David Cameron (left) pictured with the UK's then ambassador to the European Union, Ivan Rogers, in Brussels on February 19, 2016
THIERRY CHARLIER, AFP/File

Stephen Wall, ambassador to Brussels from 1995 to 2000, was quoted as saying: "What most civil servants actually want is clear political direction.

"The sense I get is that at the moment, that isn't there."

Newspapers suggested the speed of the appointment meant Barrow had strong support from May, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis, and that Downing Street may have already been putting thought into Rogers' replacement.

- 'Someone who knows Brussels' -

A European diplomatic source in Brussels told AFP that Barrow getting the job was a victory for the Foreign Office.

"We have someone who knows Brussels and knows diplomacy. However, it is not certain that he is up to speed with the technical subjects to be dealt with," having been noted as a Russia expert.

"Perhaps this reflects a recalibration of the post or a takeover by London and the Brexit ministry on the negotiations," the source added.

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, called Barrow an "inspired choice".

The Financial Times newspaper said his appointment would calm nerves in the London ministries and his appointment marked a return to "more traditional diplomatic leadership".

Article 50: the mechanism that triggers the Brexit talks
Article 50: the mechanism that triggers the Brexit talks
, AFP

It quoted a former colleague as saying he was "not obviously eurosceptic".

An EU diplomat formerly based in Brussels told AFP that Barrow was "an amiable, well-disposed kind of guy, succinct and confident. He negotiates well. He can be tough when required."

The main opposition Labour Party welcomed the appointment but said fundamental questions remained unanswered on May's Brexit strategy.

The anti-EU UK Independence Party's Brexit spokesman Gerard Batten said: "This appointment is a disappointment because the last thing we need is another career diplomat wearing a Brussels jersey."

Britain’s new EU ambassador is a veteran diplomat chosen to bring toughness and experience but also to calm civil servants restive over London’s cryptic Brexit strategy, former colleagues and experts said Thursday.

Tim Barrow, the man charged with ironing out the path to Brexit, has handled Britain’s rocky relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the past six years as the ambassador to Moscow.

He is also an old hand in the corridors of Brussels, having done two stints in the mission he now heads, and spent years in key Europe roles in the Foreign Office.

British civil servants are reportedly frustrated by a lack of clarity from Prime Minister Theresa May’s government, as she prepares to trigger two years of EU exit negotiations within the next three months.

Barrow, as London’s permanent representative to the European Union, will play a key role in thrashing out Britain’s future relations with the bloc.

Tom Fletcher, a former British ambassador to Lebanon and ex-foreign policy adviser to three prime ministers, said: “It’s the toughest negotiation in our lifetimes and I think he is up to it.”

“I have seen him in Brussels. He knows the corridors, he knows the characters,” he told BBC radio.

Tim Barrow  has handled Britain's rocky relationship with Russia over the past six years as the...

Tim Barrow, has handled Britain's rocky relationship with Russia over the past six years as the ambassador to Moscow
Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP/File

“I saw him in Moscow where he was incredibly resilient as ambassador there, dealing with Putin in a very testing time in our relationship and Tim had a reputation of being bulletproof out there.”

Before becoming the ambassador to Russia, Barrow was at Britain’s EU embassy in Brussels as the UK representative to the bloc’s political and security committee and ambassador to the Western European Union from 2008 to 2011.

– ‘Muddled thinking’ –

He replaces Ivan Rogers, who quit nine months early on Tuesday so that his successor could see through the whole divorce process.

But Rogers left with sharp words ringing in the ears of civil servants, amid claims he had been undermined by ministers who did not like what he was telling them from Brussels.

He sent an email to staff condemning “ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking” over Brexit and made it clear even he was still in the dark over May’s objectives.

The Times newspaper said civil servants were getting restive over the whole situation.

Former British prime minister David Cameron (left) pictured with the UK's then ambassador to th...

Former British prime minister David Cameron (left) pictured with the UK's then ambassador to the European Union, Ivan Rogers, in Brussels on February 19, 2016
THIERRY CHARLIER, AFP/File

Stephen Wall, ambassador to Brussels from 1995 to 2000, was quoted as saying: “What most civil servants actually want is clear political direction.

“The sense I get is that at the moment, that isn’t there.”

Newspapers suggested the speed of the appointment meant Barrow had strong support from May, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis, and that Downing Street may have already been putting thought into Rogers’ replacement.

– ‘Someone who knows Brussels’ –

A European diplomatic source in Brussels told AFP that Barrow getting the job was a victory for the Foreign Office.

“We have someone who knows Brussels and knows diplomacy. However, it is not certain that he is up to speed with the technical subjects to be dealt with,” having been noted as a Russia expert.

“Perhaps this reflects a recalibration of the post or a takeover by London and the Brexit ministry on the negotiations,” the source added.

Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, called Barrow an “inspired choice”.

The Financial Times newspaper said his appointment would calm nerves in the London ministries and his appointment marked a return to “more traditional diplomatic leadership”.

Article 50: the mechanism that triggers the Brexit talks

Article 50: the mechanism that triggers the Brexit talks
, AFP

It quoted a former colleague as saying he was “not obviously eurosceptic”.

An EU diplomat formerly based in Brussels told AFP that Barrow was “an amiable, well-disposed kind of guy, succinct and confident. He negotiates well. He can be tough when required.”

The main opposition Labour Party welcomed the appointment but said fundamental questions remained unanswered on May’s Brexit strategy.

The anti-EU UK Independence Party’s Brexit spokesman Gerard Batten said: “This appointment is a disappointment because the last thing we need is another career diplomat wearing a Brussels jersey.”

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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