Thaindian News

London, October 26 (ANI): David Miliband, the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, has backed Tony Blair in his run for the position of the first permanent president of the European Council.

According to a report in the Guardian, amid signs that the Czech Republic will soon ratify the Lisbon treaty, creating a legal basis for the new post, the foreign secretary described former British PM Blair as a very good choice for Britain and the EU (European Union).

“I think it’s very important for Europe that it has a strong figure in that role,” Miliband told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.

“I think it would be very good for Britain, as well as very good for Europe. We need someone who can do more than simply run through the agenda,” he said.

“We need someone who, when he or she lands in Beijing or Washington or Moscow, the traffic does need to stop, the talks do need to begin at a very, very high level,” he added.

Miliband’s remarks may have been designed to divert attention away from speculation that he could assume the other major post created under the treaty - the high representative for foreign affairs.

The foreign secretary’s intervention was the strongest British endorsement of Blair for the post that will be created if the Lisbon treaty enters EU law.

British PM Gordon Brown has endorsed Blair, but refused to say more until the former prime minister makes clear his intentions.

Blair is keen to become president, but he does not want to find himself caught up in an unseemly battle between EU member states.

European leaders may start to intensify their debate on who should assume the new post when they hold their October summit in Brussels on October 29 and October 30. (ANI)