The new EU chiefs: Rompuy-pumpy and Cathy Who? By JILL LAWLESS (AP) – 1 hour ago

LONDON — Catherine Ashton: International woman of mystery.

Ashton is Europe's first foreign policy chief, the international representative of half a billion people, with a euro7 billion ($10.5 billion) budget and a salary of more than $300,000 a year — but in her homeland, it's hard to find many who have heard of her.

The former anti-nuclear activist turned career Eurocrat is the European Union's new high representative for foreign  — and it's almost as much of a surprise to her as it is to her fellow Britons.

Ashton told the BBC Friday that she only found out she was a front-runner for the post in the last few days. She acknowledged her low profile, but promised that "over the next few months and years I aim to show that I am the best person for the job."

Critics slammed the EU for a lack of ambition in choosing her and Belgium's technocratic premier, Herman van Rompuy, who becomes the first EU president.

"The EU member states have talked themselves into choosing two very competent, able, and — frankly — rather boring choices for these two new roles," said Richard Whitman, a Europe expert at London's Chatham House think tank.

The 27-nation EU created the new posts of president and foreign minister as part of a reform treaty that takes effect Dec. 1.

The new EU chiefs: Rompuy-pumpy and Cathy Who? By JILL LAWLESS (AP) – 1 hour ago