G8 goals
We were in the Cabinet Room. The desk calendar showed that there were just 21 full days left for Tony Blair in Downing Street. Appropriately enough a military band could be heard through the windows playing "Beat the Retreat" as Nick Danziger took pictures for a magazine feature on the Blair Years. The PM insisted he was working harder than ever - his mind focused on today's G8 summit and the EU summit at the end of the month. He impatiently waved away a question about how he felt knowing that he'd watch the next G8 on the telly.
His mind is on securing the goals he pursued at the G8 he chaired at Gleneagles - a deal on climate change and the fulfilment of promises made to Africa. That and issuing a public warning to the man he befriended, lauded and supported in the past - Vladimir Putin. The G8 was an "opportunity for people to have a frank conversation about Russia, with Russia, because people want a good relationship with Russia but it is a relationship that can only prosper if it is clear that we share certain values and principles". Russia, he said, had a choice. He didn't spell out what he meant but the implication was clear - be trusted as an international partner or be regarded as an erratic, unreliable player on the world stage.
On climate change he was, once again, the optimist, the man who regards the glass as half full not half empty. Critics of President Bush's recent speech didn't realise when they were winning, he said. The Americans would not bypass the UN process. They would agree to a long term goal for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Would they do this at the G8 I asked. Of that he could not be certain. This is not one of those summits where the "sherpas" - the officials who do the negotiating before their leaders get involved - have done a deal. There is much work to be done.
PS: You can watch the interview in full here, or read a complete transcript by clicking .
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Comments
'Blair will be frank with Putin' - yeah, like he was frank with Mbeki about Mugabe. Don't whether to laugh or cry.
If Blair's so intent on delivering past deals why has he still nothing to show for his disastrous US partnership but a continued stalling by Washington on climate initiatives and an Africa at the mercy of corporate vulture funds?
As for Russia, why would anyone want to share Blair's "values and principles"? I'd rather do business with countries that don't. The most "erratic, unreliable player on the world stage" certainly isn't Putin, it's Blair's buddy in the White House.
Blair's been an utter failure in international policy. The good news is that these two countries will never have the power to flout world opinion that they had in 2003. And being headed by a pair of incompetent clowns like Bush and Blair has only speeded their decline as others flex their new-found economic muscle.
Blair will come back from the G8 to empty his desk drawers and pack his bags. What influence does a political dead duck have? It seems incredible that the vanity of a failed leader can overrule the interests of government and the country. Blair should have left last year and Gordon Brown should have been at the G8.
Did Bliar say anything about Russian gas or oil? There is the rub, some politicians are all gas!
Anyone expecting American concessions on a global warming treaty will be badly disappointed. President Bush is merely saving Congress from the trouble of another unanimous vote rejecting an obviously anti American treaty, a super Kyoto II. Unless and until those pushing for such a treaty can get firm enforcable committments from China, India, the EU, and provisions for Indonesia and Brazil to stop burning down the rain forests, it just won't happen. Much to Europe's dismay, the US will not unilaterally commit economic suicide to bow to European public opinion or political pressures. The EU has talked a good game but under Kyoto...they didn't do "diddlysquat." :-) Example, Italy was supposed to have a 6.5% reduction in CO2, its actual performance...a 12% increase. We have a word for America's reacton where I come from and that word is "faggeddaboudit."
BTW, I don't think Vladimir Putin will launch a nuclear first strike against European citis if America installs 10 ABMs in the Czech Republic and a radar system in Poland. It's a risk I'm perfectly willing to take.
Please could someone tell me what if
anything, that blair has done which
has been good for this country.
I have tried but cannot find one single thing,he has alowed the E U
everything that they have demanded
and never stood up once against them.
Please could someone tell me what if
anything, that blair has done which
has been good for this country.
I have tried but cannot find one single thing,he has alowed the E U
everything that they have demanded
and never stood up once against them.
Dear Nick,
G8, the fact is they have kept silence on the world money markets.
The Floor is beckoning the bottom is about to fall out of the Worlds Money markets, so its time to recover your cash before it is lost in negative equity, "Are you keeping pace"?
Daer Nick,
After 22 years in the forces, and still in touch with many serving, there is a niggle begining rather more than usual, amounst us.The USA is building a missile defence system, in Europe,and NATO, is building one to cover the ENTIRE EU including Malta Cyprus, Greece, Romania, and Turkey, who will be a full EU member in two years.
The EX chief of the defence staff states the Royal Navy should be rebuilt now, Sir Alan Wests warning tends to be based on intelligence, (naval intelligence), so the Chiefs of our armed forces are telling the government that unless they invest in the armed forces now there will be problems in the future, and the threat may well be severe.The fact Trident is being renewed, AND the new nuclear Astute Class submarines are comming off the production line, some one knows more than, they are letting on.The fact that Blair invested in Trident so quikly also confirms that they are expecting this "severe Trouble" to escalate, its as if we are on a time table, to conflict, and whats the betting when it happens it will be in the Month of May.