After his meeting with US Ambassador Bill White Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot released a statement. White had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry after poking fun with Belgian Deputy Premier, Health and Social Affairs Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Flemish socialist Vooruit).
Home News
"Stop targeting Belgian politicians" FM Prévot tells US Ambassador White
Colin Clapson
Published:
The Minister's statement in full:
“Minister Prévot has once again expressed his disapproval of statements that personally target Belgian politicians. Such statements by an ambassador accredited to Belgium cannot be tolerated. Such statements by a Belgian ambassador to the United States about American officials would not be accepted either. And rightly so.
Minister Prévot pointed out that the role of an ambassador is bound by clear diplomatic rules and customs, including mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs. Countries may hold differing views, sometimes fundamentally so. Diplomacy serves precisely to discuss such differences of opinion openly and directly through the appropriate channels, not to publicly lecture one another or to interfere in domestic political debate.
Minister Prévot has therefore called on Ambassador White to refrain from making public statements that personally target Belgian politicians. In this way, the historic and strong relationship between Belgium and the United States can be safeguarded and further developed.
Minister Prévot emphasised that any further provocation would be counterproductive and could lead to an unnecessary escalation in our relations. Belgian sovereignty must be fully respected, including in the implementation of our policies."
Ambassador White does not seem particularly impressed by Prévot's words. “We had a very frank conversation. I respect what he said. But I will continue to post what I think and gauge what people here in Belgium think,” the ambassador made clear. He did not wish to say any more on the matter.