EU leaders failed to reach an agreement at a summit Wednesday over who should get the top jobs to steer the 28-nation bloc over the next five years.
The summit "ended without an accord," one diplomat said, on who should take the plum job of EU foreign affairs chief or be the new president of the European Council, which represents the 28 leaders and sets overall policy.
The leaders would now have to meet again, most likely at the end of August, another diplomat said.
Early hopes for a decision on who would replace Britain's Catherine Ashton as foreign affairs head, faded from the start, putting the summit in difficulty.
Without agreement on this key position, naming a new president of the European Council became even more difficult as current head Herman Van Rompuy tried to put together a package deal.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel played down expectations any decisions on appointments would be made at all even before leaders sat down at the summit table.
- 'Not yet possible to agree' -
"It is very possible that there will only be an initial discussion," said Merkel, a key voice, as she arrived. "I don't think we will get there today but we will see."
"It is better to not have a deal because it's not yet possible to agree on a whole package of nominations," said Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite as she left the meeting.
Grybauskaite had made clear from the start that Lithuania, along with the other Baltic states and Poland, would not accept the early favourite, Italian Foreign Minister Frederica Mogherini, as Ashton's replacement.
Ashton has become a high profile figure involved in the top international issues, from the Middle East to the Iran nuclear talks and Ukraine.
Critics said Mogherini was inexperienced and some, notably the Baltic countries and Poland where bitter memories of Soviet rule run deep, felt Italy has been much too soft on Russia over Ukraine.
Diplomats had said an alternative to Mogherini could be current EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria, who is close to the centre-right European People's Party, the biggest single group in the European Parliament.
- Italy 'asks for respect' -
As Mogherini's chances faded, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted: "What does Italy ask for? Not one post or another, it asks for respect."
For the European Council, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a Social Democrat, enjoyed wide support, including from Britain, to replace Belgium's discreet but effective Van Rompuy.
Denmark, however, is not a member of the eurozone, a drawback especially for France.
French President Francois Hollande however stressed that what counted was "less the person than the policy ... and it is such considerations which will determine my decision."
Other names mentioned included conservatives Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and former Latvian premier Valdis Dombrovskis. Estonia's Andrus Ansip, who stepped down earlier this year, or Dutch Premier Mark Rutte would suit the centrist Liberals.
Kenny however dismissed the idea he could take the post, saying: "I have enough on my plate already!"
Once the top jobs are settled, then the EU embarks on the next round, deciding who gets which portfolio in the new 28-seat European Commission to be headed by Jean-Claude Juncker.
On Tuesday, the European Parliament confirmed veteran EU insider Juncker as head of the bloc's executive arm.
EU leaders failed to reach an agreement at a summit Wednesday over who should get the top jobs to steer the 28-nation bloc over the next five years.
The summit “ended without an accord,” one diplomat said, on who should take the plum job of EU foreign affairs chief or be the new president of the European Council, which represents the 28 leaders and sets overall policy.
The leaders would now have to meet again, most likely at the end of August, another diplomat said.
Early hopes for a decision on who would replace Britain’s Catherine Ashton as foreign affairs head, faded from the start, putting the summit in difficulty.
Without agreement on this key position, naming a new president of the European Council became even more difficult as current head Herman Van Rompuy tried to put together a package deal.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel played down expectations any decisions on appointments would be made at all even before leaders sat down at the summit table.
– ‘Not yet possible to agree’ –
“It is very possible that there will only be an initial discussion,” said Merkel, a key voice, as she arrived. “I don’t think we will get there today but we will see.”
“It is better to not have a deal because it’s not yet possible to agree on a whole package of nominations,” said Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite as she left the meeting.
Grybauskaite had made clear from the start that Lithuania, along with the other Baltic states and Poland, would not accept the early favourite, Italian Foreign Minister Frederica Mogherini, as Ashton’s replacement.
Ashton has become a high profile figure involved in the top international issues, from the Middle East to the Iran nuclear talks and Ukraine.
Critics said Mogherini was inexperienced and some, notably the Baltic countries and Poland where bitter memories of Soviet rule run deep, felt Italy has been much too soft on Russia over Ukraine.
Diplomats had said an alternative to Mogherini could be current EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria, who is close to the centre-right European People’s Party, the biggest single group in the European Parliament.
– Italy ‘asks for respect’ –
As Mogherini’s chances faded, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted: “What does Italy ask for? Not one post or another, it asks for respect.”
For the European Council, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a Social Democrat, enjoyed wide support, including from Britain, to replace Belgium’s discreet but effective Van Rompuy.
Denmark, however, is not a member of the eurozone, a drawback especially for France.
French President Francois Hollande however stressed that what counted was “less the person than the policy … and it is such considerations which will determine my decision.”
Other names mentioned included conservatives Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and former Latvian premier Valdis Dombrovskis. Estonia’s Andrus Ansip, who stepped down earlier this year, or Dutch Premier Mark Rutte would suit the centrist Liberals.
Kenny however dismissed the idea he could take the post, saying: “I have enough on my plate already!”
Once the top jobs are settled, then the EU embarks on the next round, deciding who gets which portfolio in the new 28-seat European Commission to be headed by Jean-Claude Juncker.
On Tuesday, the European Parliament confirmed veteran EU insider Juncker as head of the bloc’s executive arm.
