Finland eyes key posts in EU's new foreign service
Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, the ministry's ranking civil servant added that the government wanted to have Finns serving in key posts in the new service.
"We are aiming to have our best resources serve there," he said.
Torstila added that the government wanted Finnish civil servants to serve in posts that were particularly interesting from Finland's point of view.
Provided all member states ratify the Lisbon treaty, the union is to merge the current posts of the EU council's high representative for foreign affairs and the commission's external affairs commissioner and create a new foreign service for the new foreign policy supremo to lead.
Furthermore, the commission's 130 delegations are to represent the union as a whole, not just the commission, and offer assistance to member states and their citizens.
Torstila refused to be drawn when asked how the external action service would affect Finland's foreign ministry and its diplomatic missions. (Finnish News Agency)