We, the Conventions Social Democrats, were ambitious. We explored the possibility of the EUs having a seat on the UN Security Council. The EU should also have a joint vote in the World Bank and in the International Monetary Fund. It would be a decisive vote, since the combined voting power of the EU member states would be 32% in the World Bank and 28% in the IMF, considerable larger than that of the US, which currently dominates both organisations.

External representation of the Union should be clarified. At the moment, the same agenda is being pursued by the rotating Presidency of the Council, the High Representative for the CFSP, the President of the Commission and the External Relations Commissioners. Henry Kissingers famous problem was more than just a quip: What number should one dial to learn the foreign policy position of the EU? We supported the concept of two hats, i.e. of combining the posts of High Representative and Commission VicePresident/Commissioner for External Relations. Solanas and Pattens hats should be combined and given to one person. Then Kissinger would at least face one less phone number. Qualified majority, rather than unanimity, should be the norm in decisionmaking in the CFSP, simply for reasons of functionality and efficiency. Only strategic decisions and military decisions would have to be unanimous. We were also aiming to strengthen the initiative of the Commission in foreign

THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION | 77 and security policy. But here we came up against a wall. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Lena Hjelm-Walln firmly demanded, backed up by the British Social Democrats, that we should clearly state that the CFSP would continue to be intergovernmental in nature. This was, indeed, recorded as the position of the Conventions Social Democrats.

4.3.2 The Conventions proposals on foreign policy So what was the Conventions decision? The provisions on the Unions external action were collated under one heading Part III Title V of the Constitution. The main objective is to preserve peace through a multilateral system and international law, according to the principles of the UN Charter. The aim is global governance and respect for equality, democracy and human rights. All countries are encouraged to integrate into the world economy. Global solidarity, the elimination of poverty and sustainable development are named as aims. These were sound principles. We were pleased to enter them in the Constitution as the basis for the Unions external action.