Balkans features in "10-step-guide" offered to Boris Johnson

Balkans features in "10-step-guide" offered to Boris Johnson

"The presence and influence of the UK in the western Balkans is vital to prevent it sliding backwards to confrontation," writes Hague. "On these issues, your European counterparts will appreciate your help, however sceptical about you some of them appear at first."

Hague congratulates Johnson on his new job - "one of the most fascinating in the world" - and tells the vocal proponent of Brexit that "even many who disagreed with you about that, like me, want you to do well."

Among the "10 steps" is the advice to make the most of Johnson's "unusual advantage of being both very well known and underestimated at the same time," and use his travels abroad "to show that we are strengthening friendships, old and new," while focusing policy-making on Turkey and the Middle East - "one of the key fault lines in international affairs."

Johnson should, writes Hague, "reject the idea that Britain’s influence in the world will shrink as emerging powers get stronger. " In this context, the new British foreign secretary is advised to "prove his point that Europe is not the same as the EU by pushing initiatives in the south east of our continent," including in Cyprus, and in the Balkans.

According to Hague, the former mayor of London should in his new role also "strike a careful balance on the other great fault line - the Asia Pacific," go to America quickly "to explain what will change and what won’t with Brexit," and "use the great assets and connections of the UK to launch new initiatives to improve the condition of humanity. "