Mandelson tries to end Ashton tensions

Article reports that friends of Lord Mandelson, UK Business Secretary had said that he believed the negotiations which led to the UK's Catherine Ashton becoming the new High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the 19 November 2009 were 'botched' and that Britain, unless it had a heavyweight foreign policy chief, should have instead tried to secure a top economic role in the European Commission.

BBC News, 3.12.09: Lord Mandelson 'wanted EU foreign job' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8392319.stm

ESO: Background information: Van Rompuy closes in on EU presidency http://www.europeansources.info/record/van-rompuy-takes-eu-presidency/

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