When Will the US Ambassador Arrive? Maybe Not Until Fall

Published in Corriere della Sera
(Italy) on 27 June 2017
by Franco Venturini (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Federica Vavala. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Donald Trump, who has been in office since Jan. 21, has yet to find the time to appoint the head of the American diplomatic corps in Italy.

This year, U.S. Independence Day will once again be celebrated in Villa Taverna’s gardens. However, this time there will be no U.S. ambassador to Italy to do the honors. The reason is simple: Donald Trump, who has been in office since Jan. 21, has yet to find the time to appoint one. Let us refrain from howling with indignation; the appointment of new U.S. ambassadors is being delayed in many capitals, and must be viewed in the context of the confusion that has persistently followed the new American administration. Moreover, Kelly Degnan is doing an excellent job in the meantime as Chargé d’Affaires at Palazzo Margherita. Nonetheless, the fact that some of the ambassadors meant for European missions have yet to be designated (Lew Eisenberg has been mentioned with regard to Rome), says a lot about Trump not being overwhelmingly interested in those missions, as well as about his judgment.

There are problems between Washington and Europe that have never manifested themselves so severely. This is a known and proven fact. However, there is still an order to this mutual discomfort (as the nonexistent ambassador would call it). Trump embraced Great Britain first in deference to traditionally special relations, but also because, out of malice toward the European Union, he supported Brexit. Then, Theresa May did almost everything wrong, and now the U.S. president’s visit there is not certain. Germany comes in second, not just because of its obvious importance, but also because there are quarrels with Berlin, with figures on the table, about trade, contributions to NATO, sanctions on Nord Stream, all of which are critical matters.* Next we have France, because of its role playing second fiddle to Germany. Besides, that Macron fellow seems capable of everything. Will it be Italy’s turn then? That is likely. We, too, have a trade surplus with the U.S., and we, too, are supposed to contribute more to NATO. We are as generous with military bases as we are with promises though, and there is an influential pope at the Vatican. When are we going to be worthy of an ambassador? Maybe in the fall.

*Editor’s note: Nord Stream refers to the offshore natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany owned and operated by Nord Stream AG.




Quando arriverà l’ambasciatore Usa? Soltanto in autunno, forse

Donald Trump, in carica dal 21 gennaio, non ha ancora trovato il tempo di nominare il numero uno della rappresentanza diplomatica americana in Italia

L’Independence Day sarà celebrato anche quest’anno nei giardini di Villa Taverna, ma a fare il padrone di casa non ci sarà l’ambasciatore degli Stati Uniti in Italia. Per il semplice motivo che Donald Trump, in carica dal 21 gennaio, non ha ancora trovato il tempo di nominarlo. Evitiamo di strapparci le vesti: il ritardo nella nomina dei nuovi ambasciatori americani riguarda molte capitali, e va inquadrato nella confusione che tenacemente accompagna la nuova Amministrazione statunitense. Peraltro Kelly Degnan svolge egregiamente, nell’attesa, il suo compito di Chargé d’affaires a Palazzo Margherita. Eppure la mancata nomina di alcuni ambasciatori destinati a sedi europee (per Roma si è parlato di Lew Eisenberg) dice molto sul non travolgente interesse di Trump verso queste sedi, e anche sui suoi parametri di giudizio.

Che tra Washington e l’Europa esistano problemi che mai prima si erano manifestati in forma tanto acuta, è cosa nota e comprovata. Ma all’interno del reciproco disagio (così direbbe l’ambasciatore che non c’è) una graduatoria rimane. Trump ha abbracciato per prima la Gran Bretagna, in ossequio ai tradizionali rapporti speciali ma anche perché, malignamente verso la Ue, ne apprezzava la Brexit. Poi Theresa May ha sbagliato quasi tutto, e oggi la visita del Presidente Usa è in forse. Seconda è la Germania, non solo per il suo ovvio peso specifico ma perché con Berlino c’è da litigare conti alla mano: sull’interscambio commerciale, sui contributi Nato, sulle sanzioni al North Stream, tutte cose che pesano. Segue la Francia, perché è la spalla della Germania e poi quel Macron sembra capace di tutto. Tocca all’Italia? Probabile. Anche noi abbiamo un surplus commerciale con gli Usa, anche noi dobbiamo dare di più alla Nato. Ma siamo generosi con le basi militari come con le promesse, e in Vaticano c’è un Papa che conta. Quando ci meriteremo un ambasciatore? In autunno, forse.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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