Memoires are made of this

Date: 22/05/1997

As the manoeuvring begins in earnest over the Commission's rarely vacant and most coveted civil service job, the current Secretary-General David Williamson has received some career advice from External Relations Commissioner Manuel Marín.

Williamson has triggered an enthusiastic dusting-down of more than a handful of A1 curricula vitae by declaring himself ready to retire and Marín, for one, is anxious to read the inside story of the Commission under his reign.

In front of colleagues, Marín expressed the hope that Williamson would write his memoirs, sharing his experience of the top European posts he has held on both sides of the Channel.

Such a tome could be a best-seller, what with BSE, the UK's non-cooperation policy, the British government rebate... On second thoughts, perhaps not a best-seller except in the institutional bookshops, but nevertheless well worth putting pen to paper for.