Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 28 / Trend E. Ostapenko /
The new all-European government will improve the efficiency of the EU's policy, former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas said.
"EU member-states will shape their national policy on the basis of vector solutions to global problems," Duma said in an interview with the Echo of the Planet magazine.
Europe's image changed after the Lisbon Treaty came into force Dec. 1. The treaty is designed to reform the EU's power institutions and simplify the decision-making process. Two new posts were created in accordance with the agreement.
The agreement stipulates that decisions will be made by a qualified majority of votes.
The former minister said the Lisbon Agreement is a major step forward, without which change would be impossible.
"It would be difficult to live in Europe without institutional innovations in the form of the posts of EU foreign minister and EU president, " said Dumas, who served as French foreign minister during the collapse of the Soviet Union and Gulf War.
In late November, Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy was elected EU president. Former EU Trade Commissioner Baroness Catherine Ashton was elected EU foreign minister.
Europe spoke about Ashton's insufficient diplomatic experience to hold this high post.
But Dumas said with Ashton Europe will be able to move forward in strengthening foreign policy independence.
"This deals with the general vector of development, and not the force of one or another top politician," he said.
Without gaining the independence of foreign policy, the EU will not be a serious player in the international arena, Dumas said.
"The EU must play a big role in resolving the Middle East conflict. Now we just follow the Americans, in fact doing nothing," he said.
The U.S. plays the role of a key mediator in the negotiation process between the Palestinians and Israelis. The EU does not voice any specific proposals, although it participates in the Middle East Quartet to resolve the conflict along with the U.N., Russia and the U.S.
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