EU foreign policy must be revamped to help cope with international crises such as Iraq, according to former president of France Mr Valerie Giscard d¿Estaing.
Mr Giscard d'Estaing, head of the convention on the future of Europe, said the post of EU foreign minister should be created and foreign policy decisions should be made by qualified majority voting. Decisions currently need unanimous support to be adopted.
Mr Giscard suggested EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana could be given a more high-profile title to better embody EU unity.
"We have to give him an internationally recognised title, for example state secretary or foreign minister of the European Union," Mr Giscard said.
European leaders have been deeply divided in recent weeks over how to respond to increasing US sabre-rattling against Iraq, ranging from Britain's solidly supportive declarations to Germany's outright opposition to military action.
Mr Giscard said it would be better for the EU to present a more united front. "I believe that Europeans of all persuasions are not happy about these differences. They would prefer a joint position which, furthermore, would have a considerable impact," he told reporters.
"Firstly, we must introduce qualified majority voting," in areas where so far decisions have had to be taken on a unanimous basis, he said.
But he added: "It is important to find a way to deal with those who disagree with the position adopted by the qualified majority".
AFP