Helsinki  - Former Finnish prime minister Paavo Lipponen on Tuesday said he had been contacted over the possible post as future permanent president of the European Council, news reports said.

The post is envisaged in the Lisbon Treaty - yet to approved - that would create several new posts including that of a permanent president of the European Council to chair all EU summits for two- and-a-half years.

In brief remarks to Finnish news agency STT, Lipponen declined to comment if he was a suitable candidate or what role he believed the EU president should have, but said he supported the reform treaty.