PHILIP Gordon, the Obama administration's point man on Europe, is that most unusual of senior American officials: one prepared to speak frankly in public to foreigners.

In my experience, State Department officials have a habit of being relentlessly on message while on foreign tours, which makes it a bit hit and miss for working hacks trying to decide whether to attend one of their speeches or briefings. So it was with slight trepidation that I headed to a speech by Mr Gordon, the assistant secretary of state for European affairs, this morning. The speech was ok, nothing special, as it turned out. Then someone asked one of the standard Brussels euro-questions: would you prefer it if Europe spoke with one voice.

Mr Gordon's reply started off cautiously. It is up to you Europeans to decide if you want to be united, he said. Then an unexpected candour descended.

“We want to see a strong and united Europe, speaking with one voice. In the best of all possible worlds, that one voice will be saying what we want to hear….If it is not saying what we want to hear, then we would rather that voice was less united. For the foreseeable future we will have to have relations with the EU and with nations. You go to the place that can deliver... [For example] on trade, we deal with the EU, as the EU is the decider.”

Later, he was asked if he felt Europe needed to think more strategically. Absolutely, he replied:

“We want to see Europe thinking more strategically, because we think if they do think more strategically, they'll think more like Americans.”

At one point, I thought that Elmar Brok, a peppery German MEP who was chairing the meeting, would explode. At the end of the session, Mr Brok gave his guest a stern lecture, telling him that if the American strategy was to encourage disunity when it suited it, it risked delaying forever the stronger, more united Europe America says it wants.

I think Mr Brok should lighten up. Mr Gordon was only saying what American officials have surely thought for years. Honesty is not everything in diplomacy, but it makes a refreshing change.

PHILIP Gordon, the Obama administration's point man on Europe, is that most unusual of senior American officials: one prepared to speak frankly in public to foreigners.

In my experience, State Department officials have a habit of being relentlessly on message while on foreign tours, which makes it a bit hit and miss for working hacks trying to decide whether to attend one of their speeches or briefings. So it was with slight trepidation that I headed to a speech by Mr Gordon, the assistant secretary of state for European affairs, this morning. The speech was ok, nothing special, as it turned out. Then someone asked one of the standard Brussels euro-questions: would you prefer it if Europe spoke with one voice.

Mr Gordon's reply started off cautiously. It is up to you Europeans to decide if you want to be united, he said. Then an unexpected candour descended.

“We want to see a strong and united Europe, speaking with one voice. In the best of all possible worlds, that one voice will be saying what we want to hear….If it is not saying what we want to hear, then we would rather that voice was less united. For the foreseeable future we will have to have relations with the EU and with nations. You go to the place that can deliver... [For example] on trade, we deal with the EU, as the EU is the decider.”

Later, he was asked if he felt Europe needed to think more strategically. Absolutely, he replied:

“We want to see Europe thinking more strategically, because we think if they do think more strategically, they'll think more like Americans.”

At one point, I thought that Elmar Brok, a peppery German MEP who was chairing the meeting, would explode. At the end of the session, Mr Brok gave his guest a stern lecture, telling him that if the American strategy was to encourage disunity when it suited it, it risked delaying forever the stronger, more united Europe America says it wants.

I think Mr Brok should lighten up. Mr Gordon was only saying what American officials have surely thought for years. Honesty is not everything in diplomacy, but it makes a refreshing change.