With only some 488 diplomatic personnel flying the flag abroad and only 53 missions, Ireland has by far the smallest of EU member states' presence on the international stage, Patrick Smyth writes from Evian.
A report by the EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Mr Javier Solana, which was debated at this weekend's informal foreign ministers' meeting here, records that even Greece and Finland had three times as many diplomats on overseas postings with 1,384 and 1,440 respectively. (Tiny Luxembourg's figures are not included).
At the other end of the scale, the UK dwarfs all the rest with some 11,938 in 216 missions. Germany and France have less than half that number of staff with 5,482 and 4,244 respectively in 209 and 265 missions. Mr Solana won support from ministers in urging that the diplomatic efforts of member states and their 40,000 overseas personnel, should be better co-ordinated to project a higher profile for the Union on the world stage.
Ministers also agreed to start publicising the cumulative totals of EU aid to Third World countries with that contributed bilaterally by member states and through their contributions to international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank.
In Russia's case, for example, in the period 1991-1999, while the Commission gave some €1.3 billion in aid, separate bilateral aid from the member states amounted to €6.1 billion with a further €1.65 billion in loans and export credits.
In addition, the member states contributed a further €8.6 billion through the IMF, World Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Hey presto, €1.3 billion becomes €17.7 billion, and Europe's assistance takes on a new significance.
Similar calculations for Mexico turn €106 million from the Commission into €7.9 billion, and India, €963 million into €12 billion.