David Miliband favourite to become first EU foreign minister

Nicholas Watt and Ian Traynor in Brussels

guardian.co.uk, Friday 30 October 2009 19.32 GMT

David Miliband was tonight emerging as the frontrunner to become the EU’s new high representative for foreign policy as Tony Blair’s chances of securing the top job of president suffered a further battery of setbacks.

Senior figures in governments across the EU indicated that the British foreign secretary was the obvious choice for the post which is expected to go to a candidate from the centre left.

Václav Klaus, the Czech president, is expected to ratify the Lisbon treaty within the next month after EU leaders agreed to include Prague in a protocol saying the charter of fundamental rights would not create new rights.

The spotlight turned on Miliband as it became clear at the summit there is barely any prospect of Blair mustering the necessary consensus among 27 government leaders to become the first EU president.

As Blair’s chances waned, it emerged last night that Miliband is winning support from a key figure, Werner Faymann, the centre-left Austrian chancellor. Faymann has been appointed to a troika of leading social democrats charged with negotiating the post of European foreign minister for the centre left. Senior Austrian officials said that Miliband was by some distance the favoured candidate of the six names listed as contenders.

Miliband has publicly ruled himself out of the job. « I am not a candidate, » he said at a press conference at the European council with Gordon Brown. « I am not available. I am proud to be foreign secretary in Gordon’s government and that’s what I am determined to do. »

But he appeared to leave the door ajar when he was asked whether his claim that he is « not available » would still apply if the Lisbon treaty is ratified. The foreign secretary said he would not indulge in « Kremlinology » because he has a clear position.

In a sign of Blair’s waning chances, his greatest advocate indicated that he is cooling on the former prime minister. Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, who backed Blair for the post in 2006, declined to stand by his strong support for him.

Admitting there had been discussions at the summit « behind the scenes, among ourselves » on names, Sarkozy said: « The names that first come out of the hat are not necessarily those that are finally chosen. »

British sources believe Blair lost the support of Sarkozy after senior officials in the Elysée Palace made clear to the president that Paris and Berlin had to agree on a joint candidate. Sarkozy said: « Chancellor Merkel and myself, Germany and France, have exchanged considerably on the subject and we will adopt a joint position. »

Senior government sources in Europe let it be known that many government leaders, and perhaps a majority, had agreed that the job should go to someone from a smaller country, ruling Britain out. This position, taken by many of the 19 smaller countries, is also shared by the biggest member state, Germany.

The chances of a social democrat being appointed foreign minister are also being strengthened by José Manuel Barroso’s efforts to form a new European commission.

The foreign minister job is double-hatted, as it includes the role of vice-president of the commission. A senior official said the role should be taken by a social democrat to retain political balance. This would also mean Blair does not qualify for the top job, while Miliband would be well-suited to being foreign minister.