US ends diplomatic spat with the EU

It seems the United States has ended a spat with the European Union over diplomatic protocol.

Early this year it emerged that the United States had changed the way it treated the EU delegation and ambassador.

The EU had previously been treated “as a country would be” on the US diplomatic list but was now being seen as an international organisation, which is ranked lower. Also the EU ambassador was the last diplomat to be called up at the state funeral for President George HW Bush last December.

Now the BBC reported that US ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland said the EU was “one of America’s most valuable partners in ensuring global security and prosperity” whilst welcoming the EU’s new ambassador to the United States, Stavros Lambrinidis.

Sondland praised the EU as a “uniquely important organisation”, adding that “this level of engagement and co-operation should be recognised appropriately in all settings”.

EU foreign affairs spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said that the EU was pleased the US had decided “to revert to usual practice”.

Via the BBC