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Heads up – Embassy 26 – June 2010
The honest broker
The new Belgian Ambassador Johan Verbeke will have his hands full as he takes over the helm at the Belgian Embassy just as his country forms a new government and takes on the European presidency
The new Belgian Ambassador to London, Johan Verbeke, has a knack for securing a ringside seat when history is being made.
“I always seem to find myself in countries in transition, but that is what makes life so interesting,” says the Ambassador, who has just returned from a tour of duty at the UN in New York. His posting ended with two gruelling years on the UN Security Council, in which he led the Security Council Mission to Kosovo to smooth a path to independence and was appointed the UN Secretary General’s troubleshooter-in-chief in Lebanon and Georgia, to help ease these countries into peaceful dialogue.
It’s a trend that spans his entire career, which started in Lebanon at the height of the civil war (1983-85), and also included a stint in Chile where he witnessed the country’s transformation from dictatorship to democracy (1988-90). As deputy chief of mission in Washington during the Clinton Administration, he revelled in the boiler room of world politics. “You are a first-hand observer of global diplomacy at the State Department,” he recalls. “From dawn until dusk we would be discussing everything – from the Balkans, pre and post-Dayton, to North Korea to the Middle East.”
Verbeke found this experience invaluable when he returned to Brussels, where he rose through the ranks to serve as Chef de Cabinet to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002-04).
True to form, the Ambassador arrived in London just in time to watch history-in-the-making again, as the British public voted in its first coalition government since World War II.
Coalition conundrums
“I see that Britain is moving a little closer to Belgium,” he smiles, “because we have always had to live with coalition governments. We know the strengths of coalition governments in that you have consensus-based politics, but the weaknesses are that you spend much time negotiating and you have to compromise a lot. It will be interesting to see how the UK fares.”
Coalition governments can be tricky, even for past masters such as the Belgians, whose government recently collapsed, prompting a hasty election.
While there is a determined mood in Belgium to find a compromise over the persistent issue of language rights, the Ambassador does not predict a UK-style quick-fix coalition: “Finding a formula for our political conundrum may take some time,” but he adds: “We are well prepared to handle the presidency without domestic issues interfering.”
After all, Belgium has done this 11 times before and Brussels could not have picked a better man to handle the job in London. Because, between his high-octane postings, the Ambassador has also spent years in Brussels observing the minutiae of the EU machine, as Director General of European Affairs and Chef de Cabinet for the Europe Minister.
No-nonsense presidency
Setting out his stall, the Ambassador says the hallmark of the Belgian Presidency will be a custodial, “no-nonsense” approach: “We are not here to wave the flag of Belgium and draw attention to ourselves.”
Rather, Belgium intends to cement the new institutions brought about by the Lisbon Treaty, specifically to be a supportive “co-pilot” for the new High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Cathy Ashton.
He also promises less talk and more action: “The question is no longer so much who we are as what we do. The period of endless European soul-searching is over.”
Topping the EU agenda, says Verbeke, will be finding an exit strategy from the economic crisis. “Our countries have all undertaken stimulus packages and now that there is a sign of recovery, we need to look at tackling the budget deficits.”
With a debt crisis threatening to overwhelm some EU member states and destabilise the eurozone, a certain level of “increased coordination” in fiscal policy may be needed, says Verbeke.
The EU also intends to curb the worst excesses of financial risk taking with new regulations and increased financial supervision. Such talk is bound to raise the alarm bells in the City of London, but the Ambassador is ready to deploy all his emollient skills: “We will handle that very carefully to make sure that these negotiations are inclusive and fair and take into account the specific concerns of some member states.”
Continuing with the process of EU enlargement is also a priority for the Presidency, adds the Ambassador. “The road for an enlarged Union remains open and we will continue to work as honest brokers with those countries with whom we have started enlargement negotiations, specifically Croatia and Turkey.”
“The question is no longer so much who we are as what we do. The period of endless European soul-searching is over”
Other potential candidate countries, such as Iceland and those in the Western Balkans, should also be encouraged, he adds. “We will offer practical help so that those countries move closer to the EU while ensuring, however, that the benchmarks that the EU has set are upheld. There are no hidden agendas.”
Outstanding bilateral issues with member states have in the past thrown up roadblocks on the route to EU membership.
On this the Ambassador is clear: “The enlargement process should be seen on its own merits and should not be taken hostage by bilateral complications. We will look at the larger picture, while recognising that those issues need to be resolved.”
Climate change and preparations for the UN summit in Cancun is also on the agenda. Although the EU is a star pupil in the developed world when it comes to commitments on carbon emissions, the task now is to bring the other big economies in the developed and developing world with it.
And the Ambassador does not pretend this will be easy. “Our idea is to capitalise on those few but substantive elements from the Copenhagen Accord and maximise them so that we can go to Cancun and continueto make progress which will ultimately spill over into the important summit in South Africa in 2011.”
Progress on the Stockholm Programme, which defines the framework for EU police and justice cooperation will continue, adds Verbeke, as will work on the EU social dimension, even more crucial with the EU-wide belt-tightening following the financial crisis.
Foreign policy priorities
On foreign policy, Afghanistan will continue to dominate, says Verbeke. “The London Afghanistan Conference in January gave the right policy reorientation and the task for us in the EU is to put that into action by creating a programme that includes a proper civilian dimension.”
The question of Iran’s nuclear programme is also likely to demand further attention, predicts Verbeke. “This is one of the most difficult issues because it hinges on the question of deep security, not just for the region or Europe or the US, but for the world at large. We now have a new, tough UN sanctions regime that may have to be complemented with a EU package, but the diplomatic track will continue with a view to come to an understanding with Iran over its nuclear programme.”
During the presidency, Belgium would also like to see the EU’s partnership with Africa developed, adds the Ambassador, who has fond memories of his time served in Burundi. “There is an important EU-Africa summit taking place next semester and Belgium is historically close to Africa so we have pressed this question and we have been supported by many member states, notably the UK.”
On defence and security matters, the debate about the cooperation between Nato and EU remains important, especially in these strained economic times.
“Belgium, along with other member states including the UK, is working on improving the working relationship between the EU and Nato,” says Verbeke.
“There are some underlying political issues relating to Turkey and the Cyprus question – but we won’t let that issue hold us hostage. While there won’t be formal agreements with high visibility, we also know that under the radar screen we can be effective. Also, the time has come to reflect how we can maximise the added value of our combined capabilities by creating synergies and sharing of resources.”
The EU’s awkward member?
Managing these debates in Britain, with its new, more eurosceptical government, may pose a challenge, but Verbeke thinks the EU-UK divide is overplayed.
“There are a lot of clichés out there. If you look at the Conservative programme, even before the elections, yes there is an element of caution when it comes to Europe, but it is definitely less dramatic than some wanted us to believe.”
A little British pragmatism is no bad thing, he adds: “The British approach is a non-ideological; it’s an approach with a lot of realism and I think that is healthy for the Union as a whole.”
It’s going to be a busy six months for the Ambassador, but negotiation and compromise come naturally to the Belgians. “It’s in our DNA,” says Verbeke. “We are located on the crossroads between Northern and Southern Europe. Historically the Germanic and Latin communities have learned to live together in peace – but I must stress through a lot of accommodations and compromises.
“And for diplomats, that is exactly the tool we need to bring parties together. When there is a compromise to be brokered, call in the Belgians!”
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