The European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the United States has sent a letter to the US Congress expressing concern over Washington's degraded approach toward transatlantic relations that was reflected in its decision to downgrade the European Union's diplomatic status
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2019) The European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the United States has sent a letter to the US Congress expressing concern over Washington's degraded approach toward transatlantic relations that was reflected in its decision to downgrade the European Union's diplomatic status.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that the bloc's diplomatic status was lowered by the United States at some point in 2018. The news broke after EU Ambassador to the United States David O'Sullivan lost his position as ambassador on the Diplomatic List of Precedence which was granted to him due to the fact that the EU diplomatic mission in the United States was viewed as an equivalent to a national embassy � and was moved farther down the list to be mentioned among "heads of delegation."
"In a surprising development it was revealed today that the EU Ambassador to the US lost his position on the Diplomatic List of Precedence and was moved down to permanently remain at the bottom of the list. This is no way to treat partners, especially as neither the EU High Representative nor the EU Ambassador was formally notified of this change, as would be expected under customary diplomatic practice," the delegation's statement, released on the official website of its vice-chair, Marietje Schaake, said.
The members of the delegation also expressed concern over the fact that the US political leadership made no secret of its preference to deal with the governments of EU member states on a bilateral basis.
"Such moves play into the hands of rival global powers and can only lead to greater fragmentation rather than much needed increased cooperation. Together, we can address cross-border challenges arising from climate change, economic inequality, digitalisation and global terrorism. Yet in order to do so, we need to strengthen and not undermine each other," the letter read further.
On Tuesday, Maja Kocijancic, the spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, said that the European Union was in contact with the United States in order to identify the reasons for Washington's decision and assess the possible consequences of the step for the EU delegation in Washington.
