The Financial Times' publication of an internal report is causing the EU embarrassment. It seems the EU heads tasked their High Representative Javier Solana to compile a report concerning the situation with Iran. The problem is, Solana's report didn't tell them what they wanted to hear. In fact, the report almost appeared to back the Bush Administration's more confrontational approach to diplomacy with Iran than the EU's preferred softer style. Solana's report warned that economic sanctions alone wouldn't bring Iran to the table Solana Report.

Lucia Kubosova has some interesting observations. Kubosova says:

The news comes just days after US diplomats urged Europe to take tougher measures against Tehran, suggesting that financial sanctions are especially effective.

Kubosova goes on to say:

The Solana paper could also be used by advocates of military action who argue that if nothing concrete is done Iran will obtain nuclear capacity in 2010 Read about it here.

This brings us to another revealing bit of news. The European Parliament has approved a report highly critical of Solana and certain EU member states. The damaging report says Solana and 13 member states not only cooperated with the CIA in their rendition flights, they concealed their involvement to members of Parliament Read about it here. 

But, no one should have been surprised. After all, wasn't that what the infamous Solana Decision that was taken back in July of 2000 was all about -- concealing things like this from Parliament? And, if you recall, the Solana Decision came immediately after the 10-nation Western European Union adopted its equally infamous, Recommendation 666 Details here.

After Solana delivered his new security doctrine to the EU leaders in March of 2003, Solana and other EU officials traveled to Washington where they signed a new treaty, elements of which are secret to this day. All we know for sure is that on that day Washington and Brussels agreed to fight the war against terror together.

Here's the facts as I see them: If the European Parliament, or for that matter any organ of the Union, are ever seen to stand in the way of the security interests of certain EU member states -- especially the 10 WEU nations, the EU can forever kiss good-bye its dreams of super state.

That's the meaning of the Solana report.