UPDATE 3-EU agrees on top foreign policy post

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By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS, June 22 (Reuters) - European Union leaders reached broad agreement on Friday on the job title, role and powers of the bloc's future foreign policy representative in a move aimed at given it a greater voice on the world stage.

Provisional accord was clinched on the second day of a summit meant to launch negotiations on a treaty to reform the 27-nation bloc's institutions, replacing the defunct EU constitution rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2005.

"The provisional agreement we have is that it will not be called foreign minister," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters of the title foreseen by the constitution but opposed by Britain and the Netherlands.

"It is now clear, and for us it is very important, that it will be vice-president of the European Commission ... so that was great," he said of arrangements under which the holder would report to national governments but also head the external relations staff of the EU executive.

The new figure would combine the positions now held by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who does mostly crisis management, and External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who controls the Commission's huge aid budget.

Both of their terms expire in 2009, when the reform treaty would come into force -- provided EU leaders agree on other, tougher issues such as the voting system in decision-making.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, whose country is one of 18 that ratified the constitution, said there had been agreement on the name but details of the architecture of foreign and security policy still had to be discussed on Friday evening.

"We have changed the name of the foreign minister, so in fact no one will understand what it is about," he said.

But he noted that the words "of the European Union" had been added to the title held by Solana.

"This reflects the idea that the competences which are with the Commission and the Council are now in one hand," he said.

Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said the future holder of the post would preside over meetings of EU foreign ministers but details would be fleshed out later on Friday.

It was not clear whether the deal would allow the official to speak on behalf of the bloc at the United Nations. Britain had argued the figure would need the express position of U.N. Security Council members, such as itself or France. (Addiitonal reporting by William Schomberg, Yves Clarisse and Niclas Mica)

Keywords: EU TREATY/FOREIGN