EurActiv Germany asked the three 'wise men' for their opinion on the EU's efforts to build a common foreign policy based on a transnational diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The final shape of the diplomatic corps is currently still being discussed by EU member states. The aim is to launch the new service in December.
Genscher stressed that the EEAS would need to be based on a genuine common foreign policy in order to be viable – otherwise it will inevitably be hindered by the 27 existing foreign policies.
According to the former minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, the discussions on the EEAS have been dragging on for too long. As a result, Europe has remained silent on the world stage and concentrated mainly on internal affairs instead of taking part in global debates.
''That is deplorable!'' Genscher exclaimed, saying ''the EU does not recognise its global responsibility''.
Genscher appeared optimistic when looking forward, however, predicting an eminent role for Europe in the future. Since the Cold War, the world has evolved into a multi-polar system where ''large countries and associations of medium and smaller ones, such as the European Union'' will be ''centres of power'', he claimed.
Europe's post-war history of peace through ''cooperation and a unified interest'' was a great model for a global order, he said, saying this gave her a message to pass on and a ''mission'' to fulfil.
Joschka Fischer, another former German foreign minister from 1998 to 2005, was also profuse with criticism. Although he is glad to see the EEAS slowly taking shape, he sees many shortcomings in the new diplomatic service and does not expect it to become effective ''for another while''.
He also criticised the weakness of German foreign policy. ''Important things happen only in Brussels these days […] In Berlin you can feel that the interest in foreign affairs is strongly diminished.''
About the choice of Catherine Ashton for EU foreign policy chief, Fischer admitted that ''she was not my candidate''. But he praised her efforts to establish the EEAS, saying she had made a great achievement.
Answering the same set of questions, Wolfgang Schüssel, former Austrian Chancellor and Foreign Minister, claimed the renewed dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia was ''the first success of the new EU foreign policy''.
However, he was very critical of the Lisbon Treaty and its provision to ''practically exclude'' foreign ministers from European summit meetings.
This was ''a great mistake,'' according to Schüssel, because foreign ministers are the main players assuring continuity in talks between member states in the Council. ''Today, after the Lisbon Treaty, there are more, not less actors competing for influence and fulfilling secondary functions,'' he warned.
