The foreign secretary, David Miliband, today gave his strong backing to Tony Blair's candidacy to be the first permanent president of the European Union.
But he ruled himself out of the other high-ranking post created by the Lisbon treaty, high representative for foreign affairs, saying: "I am not a candidate for that. I am not available. I have got a job that I am absolutely committed to and proud to do."
Miliband said that a Blair presidency would be "very good for Britain as well as very good for Europe" and said he was "puzzled" by Conservative opposition to the prospect of having a British politician in such a senior European role.
The foreign secretary, a close personal ally of Blair, appeared to suggest that the former prime minister would be interested in the post only if it gave him real political clout in the international arena.
The leaders of the 27 EU member states meet in Brussels on Thursday to thrash out the remit of the new president, with some of the smaller states believed to favour a low-profile role involving little more than chairing meetings.
Miliband indicated that Blair wanted a job in which, when he arrives in foreign capitals, "the traffic does need to stop" and he is guaranteed access to political leaders at the highest level.
The foreign secretary told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: "I think it is very important for Europe that it has a strong figure in that role, it has someone able persuasively to advocate the case that is decided by the 27 member states of the EU.
Miliband said he expected the new president to be selected by the 27 EU leaders soon after the Lisbon treaty is finally signed by Vaclav Klaus, the president of the Czech Republic, the only member state which has not yet ratified.
"I think this is an important moment for Europe. It has got a new commission, hopefully with the passage of the Lisbon treaty a new system of running its affairs, a more efficient system," said the foreign secretary.
"It needs to take that opportunity, otherwise we will find the world run by America and China without any reference to us."
Asked if Blair wanted the job of president of Europe, Miliband told Marr: "It all comes down to what the heads of government want the job to be.
"It's about whether or not Europe wants a strong leader in that position. I think that hasn't yet been resolved in the minds of a number of Europe's leaders.
"My own view is that we need somebody who can do more than simply run through the agenda. We need someone who, when he or she lands in Beijing or Washington or Moscow, the traffic does need to stop and talks do need to begin at a very, very high level. I think Europe has suffered from the lack of that clarity."
Under the terms of the Lisbon treaty, the new president of the European Council will be selected by the heads of government of the 27 member-states, voting by qualified majority. The president will serve for a maximum of two fixed terms of two and a half years, replacing the current system under which each member-state provides a president on a six-month rotating basis.
The treaty provides for the president to chair the council's meetings and co-ordinate its work, but also states that he or she should "ensure the external representation of the union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy", opening up the possibility of the post becoming the "voice of Europe" in talks with other global powers.
Miliband said that other European leaders found it difficult to understand why a British party such as the Conservatives might oppose having a British politician in the continent's top job.
"In every other country of Europe, they would be delighted if one of their former prime ministers was being nominated by governments around Europe; his case was being pushed by governments around Europe – for a senior European position," he said.
"The Europeans I talk to view with bemusement this argument from the Conservatives that somehow it is bad for Britain to have a former British prime minister in a leading role in Europe. Some of them can't quite believe it.
"It must be good for us to have someone who is a former British prime minister and knows Britain well, who as we know is a powerful advocate for policies agreed in the appropriate democratic processes in the EU. That seems a very good thing, not a bad thing."
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