High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (commonly just High Representative or HR) is the main co-ordinator and representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) within the European Union (EU). The position is currently held by Catherine Ashton and will be backed up by the European External Action Service once it is established. The post was introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam as the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, it was then occupied by Javier Solana for ten years until it was expanded by the Lisbon Treaty to sit in the European Commission and chair the council of EU foreign ministers. The United States Clinton Administration claimed in May 2000 that the post was the fulfilment of Henry Kissinger's desire to have a phone number to talk to Europe ( Who do I call if I want to call Europe? Henry Kissinger).... Mehr