(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, APRIL 08 - An official lunch protocol incident during the visit to the Turkish president Recep Taylor, which allegedly embarrassed the EU Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen a second time, was thwarted by the Europeans before the leader arrived in the hall.
The table was set for 5 people on each side, with two armchairs of honor, one for the President of the European Council Charles Michel and one for Erdogan, seated one in front of the other.
Von der Leyen had been given a small chair to Michel's right which was replaced at the last minute.
The EU ambassador was expected to sit at Erdogan's table next to von der Leyen, while his diplomatic advisers were to the left of Micheldue.
In practice, the protocol was prepared as if von der Leyen were part of Michel's delegation, and not the head of a European institution.
To repair the new protocol incident, the president of the Commission was assigned an armchair like those of Michel and Erdogan and a seat was added for a member of his staff, so much so that while on Erdogan's side there were five seated, on the European side there were six .
(HANDLE).
