Speaking in his Brussels office, Asmus noted that the time is ripe for the Obama government to make a big "architectural speech" outlining a long-term blueprint for consolidated and enhanced EU-US relations.
Indeed, this speech could appear in early 2010, when the Lisbon Treaty brings into force new institutional innovations. The next EU-US summit will take place in spring under the watch of the Spanish EU Presidency.
The Lisbon Treaty will be the trigger, but such a scenario will also require a much greater engagement from the US - someone to "step forward, grab it by the reins, put the pieces together and turn it into a speech".
As things stand, EU-US initiatives are too ad hoc, says the expert. "American diplomats come to Brussels in droves and find their counterparts in the EU hierarchy, but there's no master plan, no blueprint. It's too hit-and-miss," he argues.
As regards the new EU 'top jobs' created by the treaty, Asmus is convinced the US wants "strong global personalities," describing a Tony Blair/Carl Bildt team as "perfect" from an American perspective.
"A less prominent team would arguably be a disappointment," he argued, adding that "we want people who have proven leadership record and can get things done internationally".
Finally, as the climate change summit in Copenhagen approaches, Asmus believes "it would be better for all of us if Copenhagen was next year and not this year," arguing that the American debate is "not as advanced or as crystallised" as it is in Europe.
However, he retains some hope that "we can come up with a creative compromise that allows us to get some things done in Copenhagen, but also set a relatively clear deadline for the next step".
Il s'est confié à Olof Gill.
