Michel Barnier wordt Franse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - French commissioner Michel Barnier is to become foreign minister of France following a cabinet reshuffle by Jacques Chirac.

Commission President Romano Prodi was the first to make the move public. Appearing to have jumped the gun, he made an announcement early on Wednesday (31 March) before the French government.

Mr Barnier will replace current foreign minister Dominique de Villepin.

Answering questions from MEPs in the European Parliament about his rapidly dwindling Commission, Mr Prodi said, "Quite probably, Pedro Solbes will be responsible for managing the Spanish economy very soon, and very probably Michel Barnier will be responsible for French foreign policy".

He praised Mr Barnier who has been responsible for regional affairs since his appointment to the Commission in 1999 and was the Commission's representative in the body that drew up the European Constitution.

"I will be sad to lose a magnificent colleague".

But referring to the specific issue of the European Constitution where crunch talks will take place in June between member states, Mr Prodi said that he was sure the Frenchman would be "an excellent apostle" for the treaty blueprint.

For his part, Mr Barnier said "Becoming Minister for Foreign Affairs of France is not the breaking off but rather a continuation of my career and political commitment".

"Europe will naturally remain at the heart of my attention in this new role, which will

also lead me to deal with many other aspects of international relations".

Others

This move by Mr Barnier is part of a series of moves in the current Commission whose mandate finishes in November.

Spanish Commissioner Pedro Solbes will return in mid-April to his country to be finance minister, while the Greek Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou has already been replaced and the Luxembourg Commissioner Viviane Reding will stand in the June European elections.

On top of all this, Mario Monti, the Italian Commissioner, has been mooted as head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

For his part, Mr Prodi, who has also been making increasingly political statements, reassured MEPs that he would be working right up until 31 October - the last day of his job.