BRUSSELS: As the international campaign against Muammar Qadhafi gathers strength, one target emerging in the line of fire is Europe's much-vaunted and long-awaited common foreign policy.

Barely a year after launching an EU diplomatic service almost a decade in the making, leaders of the 27-nation bloc head for a two-day summit Thursday after “not a good week for EU unity”, as British conservative Euro MP Charles Tannock put it.

In a historic move, Germany broke ranks with its European Union partners by abstaining on last week's Libya resolution at the UN Security Council, while Italy and others have shown growing irritation with coalition leaders Britain and France.

Germany's stand in New York was harshly described as “horrid” and a violation of EU rules by former Belgian premier Guy Verhofstadt as divisions over the campaign in Libyan turned increasingly nasty.

“Europe's practically hit rock bottom on Libya,” said a top European diplomat who asked not to be identified. “Europe's common security and foreign policy is in crisis. It has drifted away.” With the split over the Libya campaign, not to mention future policy towards the bloc's Arab neighbours, much flak for the absence of a single European voice is being directed at the Brussels chief of the fledgling EU diplomatic corps, Catherine Ashton.

“She's the poisoned cherry placed by Britain” within the EU, the high-ranking diplomat said, referring to the EU's British foreign policy chief.

At hearings of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee Tuesday, Ashton came in for a barrage of fire from MEPs. She heard everything from “We would like to see from you a more proactive approach” to “your job is superfluous, it's money thrown out the window”.

Analysts concede that Ashton has disappointed by taking a low-profile stand as EU mouthpiece rather than taking the initiative – all this in times of economic recession when many governments are cutting back on embassy staff, but paying for the EU corps.

“It is not too late to set out a determined new plan for Euro-Arab cooperation,” said Giles Merritt of the Friends of Europe think tank. “But that will not happen if Baroness Ashton remains a low-profile operator.” But EU member states themselves are divided, said Andre Deletroz of the International Crisis Group. “So it's difficult to ask Brussels to act alone or put up a common position.” Tensions between member states were “less dramatic” and “less impassioned” however than in 2003 over Iraq, when France refused to join military action, he said.

“The problem,” Ashton herself said, “is the reality of 27 member states who are sovereign, who believe passionately in their own right to determine what they do, particularly in the area of defence, who will take different views.” But many leading European politicians remain concerned over the bloc's lack of unity in responding to events unfolding in its own backyard.

“It's regretful that the EU failed to promote the Franco-British initiative in Libya to its Arab, African and American partners,” said MEP Armaud Danjean, who heads the parliament's defence committee.

“For it's up to the EU, not Nato, to take the lead in a crisis taking place at its door that challenges its values, strategic interests, and security.” At the summit dinner Thursday, Prime Minister David Cameron and President Nicolas Sarkozy will outline their thinking on the campaign in Libya, while leaders from Italy and Malta are expected to ask counterparts for help in addressing a potential human exodus – another divisive EU issue.

Looking to the future, Ashton and the EU executive will offer guidelines for future policy towards nations of the southern Mediterranean, including more trade and aid for pro-democracy countries, and more help for civil society.

“Redistributing available EU cash to democracies in the making will give a very strong message,” said the ICG's Deletroz.

“But it will be very important for Europe to tread carefully, to listen to what is wanted, after an era of dealing with dictators and closing an eye to rights abuses.” – AFP