British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says Tony Blair would make an "excellent" first president of the European Union.Brown spoke ahead of an EU summit Thursday in Brussels where EU leaders are expected to discuss possible candidates for the job, foreseen in a new EU treaty.
Brown said Blair's backing of the Iraq invasion in 2003 was "not an issue in Europe now."
Blair has yet to declare his candidacy for the still ill-defined post. Brown said "We would like him to be a candidate but it's his decision to make."
Some European nations are leaning instead toward a more low-key figure. Other names floated for the new EU presidency are Dutch premier Jan Peter Balkenende, Belgian leader Herman Van Rompuy, Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Juncker and Finnish ex-premier Paavo Lipponen.
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