Once again Javier Solana has been proven right. The European Union desperately needs to change the way it handles its foreign and security policy.

Javier Solana became the EU’s first foreign policy chief in 1999. The title the EU heads gave to him was impressive – the High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy for the European Union. But although his title was impressive, his powers were not. An unworkable arrangement already existed in the EU foreign policy apparatus. The creation of Solana’s office only made it worse.

Before Solana came on the scene there were two agencies directing the EU’s foreign policy – the Commission and the Presidency. Since the 15 nations that make up the EU took turns at the Presidency – and each had their own agenda, the EU’s foreign policy would change every six months as each nation took their turn.

This is why Solana’s new office was given a five-year term. It was created to provide some consistency. But it only made things worse. Now instead of two people running the EU’s foreign policy there were three. And no one knew for sure which one of these three was actually in control.

Competition between these three agencies was inevitable. And it wasn’t long before Solana began gaining the upper hand. As far as decision-making was concerned, by the end of 2000 the Commission’s role had been virtually sidelined by Solana and the 10 nations that made the EU’s new military wing. But the Commission and Presidency were still needed to allocate funds and sign treaties. This was something Solana wanted changed.

 The reason Solana wanted to change this system was because it required three people traveling together to get anything done – a representative of the Commission, the President and the High Representative. Solana insisted that this formula was still unworkable. In Solana’s opinion, only one department should be running the EU’s foreign policy – his office of High Representative. Three departments running things would only lead to trouble. And as it turned out he was right.

Every one makes mistakes. But the recent foreign policy blunder made by the EU has been described as spectacular. It began with the Spanish Presidency calling for an emergency meeting. In the Presidency's opinion, the US wasn’t doing enough to stop the violence in the Middle East. They concluded that a high-profile delegation from the EU was needed to get the job done.

It was decided to send the Spanish Foreign Minister and Solana, the EU High Representative, to Israel. On their arrival, they were to demand from the Israeli Prime Minister, Arial Sharon, that they be allowed to meet with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. But Sharon refused to even meet with them. Not only that, they were not allowed to meet with Arafat either. What made their embarrassment worse was the fact that the American retired General Anthony Zinni was allowed to meet with Arafat. Needless to say, the EU's so-called "high-profile" delegation was humiliated and returned home in disgrace.

But Solana’s great humiliation may become his ultimate blessing. As with the Commission in 2000, now the Presidency may also soon find itself on the sidelines of the EU foreign policy leaving Solana in control. Why? Because the Presidency, not Solana’s office of High Representative, caused this latest foreign policy disaster. Now Solana can argue that, had his office been in full control as he has been calling for, this blunder would not have occurred.

Anyone who knows Solana’s performance record will realize he is probably right. And this spectacular blunder could actually help deliver the EU's entire foreign policy to one man and 10 nations, thus bringing another major, end-times Bible prophecy to pass.