It is not the lack of a high representative or Council president, but a chronic lack of troops and helicopters that explains the woeful inadequacy of the European contribution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

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Lisbon is silent on the question of how the council president and high representative will avoid getting in each other's way.

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It would also establish a new post of president of the European Council - the grouping of EU states' leaders - and a high representative for foreign affairs.

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In a statement, Catherine Ashton, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy and vice president of the European Commission, said she was "saddened by the tragic news" of the incident.

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The first task may come next week, when European leaders choose candidates for the two top jobs being created by Lisbon: the president of the European Council and a beefed-up high representative for foreign policy.

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