EU foreign and security policy powers

Via David Frum's blog, I note an interesting point made by Jeffrey Cimbalo on the National Interest blog: On his recent visit to Europe, should Bush have discussed foreign and security policy matters with our European leaders as heads of their own government or should the Americans discuss foreign and security policy with the EU itself? The danger in the latter approach is, as Cimbalo points out:

By dealing with the EU itself in high-profile foreign policy matters, the world’s only superpower is in effect bolstering the EU’s authority. The United States is being unnecessarily drawn to one side of a distinctly European conversation about the proper role of the EU in foreign and security policy—a conversation which is far from settled—thus bringing the EU’s longstanding problems of democratic legitimacy to America’s shores. ...
The United States must be wary of ascribing powers to the EU that its member states have not consented to. Until the current constitutional crisis passes and the EU’s powers over foreign policy become more clearly enunciated, the United States should limit itself to working with the strongest and most legitimate institutions the nations of Europe can offer

After all, the idea of a European foreign minister was part of the failed constitutional treaty, and a common security EU policy is still far from a reality, even if it were agreed to be desirable.