The President of the United States has welcomed the appointment of the first President of the European Council.

Barack Obama says Europe will now be an even stronger partner for the United States.

Belgium Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy has been appointed to the position by the EU’s 27 heads of Government.

Also at last night’s summit in Brussels, the EU trade commissioner, Britain’s Catherine Ashton, was named as foreign affairs chief.

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso says Van Rompuy is the right person for the job.

“It was really good that the President of the Council – the first president of the European Council -  comes from Belgium” he said.

“Because Belgium is a founding member of the European Union and a country that has always been in the forefront of  the European integration” he added.