Trump’s diplomatic downgrade of the EU is seen as another snub… what else do vassals expect?

By Finian Cunningham

January 11, 2019 "Information Clearing House"    European Union officials are up in arms over the Trump administration’s demotion of its US ambassador. The downgrade is viewed as yet another slight from a president who has contempt for supranational bodies like the EU.

But, strictly speaking, in terms of diplomatic protocol, the Trump administration is correct. The conventional position of ambassador is a representative envoy between two states. The EU gained an ambassadorship to the US – in addition to envoys from its 28 member states – at the discretion of former President Barack Obama, who created the position in September 2016.

Why should the EU have such a privilege? For example, the African Union, which comprises twice as many states and more than double the population of the EU, is classed as an “international organization” in Washington’s ranking of diplomatic relations.

If the EU were given an ambassador role, then why shouldn’t the AU, or any other regional bloc, such as the Commonwealth of Independent States that includes Russia, or the Asian group ASEAN?

Trump’s downgrade of the EU from ambassador to international organization with a “head of delegation” is therefore a step to normalize diplomatic protocol, by reverting to the status quo ante that existed before Obama’s questionable decision to bestow the European bloc with exceptional privilege.

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