King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Saudi Arabia's entertainment sector attracts 76 million visitors in 2024    Third round of US-Iran nuclear talks concludes with cautious optimism    Multiple casualties reported after vehicle drives into crowd at Vancouver street festival    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Van Rompuy favourite as EU leaders set to pick new full-time chief
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 19 - 11 - 2009


Herman Van Rompuy entered the race for the post
of European Union chief as favourite Thursday as leaders headed for
Brussels to pick their first-ever, full-time president, , according to dpa.
Preparations were already underway for the possible departure of
Belgium"s prime minister, with the Belgian media speculating about
likely post-Van Rompuy scenarios.
"It"s D-Day for Van Rompuy and Europe," read the front-page
headline of the daily Le Soir along with articles suggesting the
possible return to power of his predecessor, Yves Leterme.
Van Rompuy"s unofficial candidacy was strengthened on Wednesday
when German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she planned to strike a
deal on names with the EU"s other powerbroker, French President
Nicolas Sarkozy.
Germany and France are both believed to be in favour of a
candidate from a smaller member state. Van Rompuy has won favours in
Paris and Berlin by supporting their opposition to Turkey becoming an
EU member.
While Germany has not explicitly backed any candidate, its
ambassador to Belgium, Reinhard Bettzuege, was quoted by Belgian
paper De Morgen as saying Germany favoured Van Rompuy, a comment that
was subsequently denied in Berlin.
Moreover, the Belgian"s election faces opposition from other major
EU players, with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt conceding
that no consensus candidate had emerged out of his pre-summit
consultations with fellow leaders.
Sweden currently holds the EU"s rotating presidency.
Britain, for instance, is continuing to promote the candidacy of
former premier Tony Blair, and the country"s media has already
mounted a vicious attack on Van Rompuy"s federalist agenda.
Italy has also backed Blair in the past.
The election will be decided by qualified majority, with the
winning candidate needing at least 255 out of 345 votes available. He
or she will also need the support of at least two-thirds of the
bloc"s 27 member states.
Germany, France, Italy and Britain all have 29 votes each at their
disposal, with Poland and Spain commanding a further 27 votes each.
Meanwhile, former Italian premier Massimo D"Alema, a
social democrat, is seen as a frontrunner for the other major post
being created by the Lisbon Treaty, that of foreign policy chief.
D"Alema enjoys the backing of conservative Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi, but is viewed with suspicion by Poland and other Eastern
states because of his communist origins.
Spain is also promoting its own candidate for the post, Foreign
Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.
However, Moratinos" chances are seen as slim, given that the
foreign policy chief would also assume the vice-presidency of the
European Commission, which is currently headed by another Iberian,
Jose Manuel Barroso of Portugal.
The third post up for grabs at Thursday evening"s summit is that
of secretary general of the council.
Reinfeldt has warned delegates to brace themselves for possible
all-night discussions in Brussels.


Clic here to read the story from its source.