Barroso new EU President

European Union leaders nominated Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso as European Commission chief yesterday after a special summit lasting barely half an hour.

They also reappointed Javier Solana as foreign policy "high representative" and spelled out that they expect him to become Europe's first foreign minister when an EU constitution agreed this month comes into force, possibly in 2007.

The choice of Mr Barroso, a compromise picked after lengthy wrangling, will launch a fresh battle over the political and economic orientation of the new EU executive.

The meeting of all 25 EU heads of state and government was seen as a formality as Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, hosting the meeting as holder of the bloc's rotating presidency, had made sure he had a consensus before calling the summit.

"I'm happy to say that Prime Minister Barroso's nomination is by consensus," Mr Ahern told a news conference.

A smiling Barroso had swept into the meeting saying only that he would make a statement later. Others praised his candidacy ahead of his formal nomination.

"It's a good decision for Europe, both for big and small countries," said Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda.

Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts, asked whether Mr Barroso would make a strong president even though he was not most leaders' first choice, told reporters: "Yes, I'm quite sure."

Latvian Prime Minister Indulis Emsis was also positive. "I hope he'll be able to sustain good transatlantic links, which is very important for us. He is from a small country which is also good for us," he said.

Ending a bitter two-week wrangle that pitted supporters and opponents of the US-led war in Iraq and of the federalist and nation-state visions of Europe against each other, the leaders were to approve a package of key personnel decisions at a brief summit working session, followed by an informal dinner.

As well as nominating the 48-year-old conservative lawyer to succeed Italy's Romano Prodi for five years, they extended Mr Solana for the same term and reappointed French diplomat Pierre de Boissieu to the powerful position of deputy secretary-general of the EU Council.

Speaking earlier on Portuguese television, Mr Barroso vowed to make the EU "stronger, even more cohesive and just, and more intervening on the international scene".

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder earlier made clear Mr Barroso had not been his first choice, regretting Britain, Italy and others had blocked pro-integration Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, a key Iraq war opponent, but said he would support a compromise.

"I believe we will take a decision that will be in Europe's interest and can be well respected. I am absolutely confident that the Commission president who is to be chosen today will prove to be a convinced and dynamic European," he said.

Diplomats said Germany and France were pushing Mr Barroso to appoint a vice-president for economic affairs to promote growth as a counterweight to the strict free-marketeering orientation of the bloc's monetary and competition authorities. The European Parliament has to endorse the leaders' choice in a vote on July 21 or 22 after Mr Barroso outlines his policies.

Asked about Mr Barroso's qualifications for the job, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said he had long European political experience, having served as the Portughese finance minister before becoming prime minister. His vision for Europe was for integration while retaining each country's identity.

"He has the capacity to carry on from where Prodi left off in leading the EU in this new era of enlargement, which is a major challenge."

Would the new European Commission president be good for small countries like Malta?

"The most important thing is that he is a good EU president, that he is good for all countries," replied Dr Gonzi. "He understands the aspirations and needs of small and big countries alike."

He was optimistic that Barroso would now be approved for the post by the European Parliament.

Dr Gonzi noted that Malta, in spite of being the smallest EU member, had been consulted consistently on the issue of the next EU president, with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern having telephoned him a number of times over the past few days.

"Malta's voice is being heard," he said.