One question each: Europe's leaders awarded topics re Bush

[bin.dare]

One question each: Europe's leaders are awarded topics for their presidential chat
By Stephen Castle in Brussels
21 February 2005

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=613151

As the leader of the free world George Bush is known to be a busy man. There have also been question-marks in the past over his attention span and dislike of protracted debate, but, even by the standards of the Bush White House, the assembled heads of Europe will be given short shrift tomorrow when they gather to address the President of the United States.

....

WHO WILL BE ASKING WHAT

Bertie Ahern (Ireland) Russia. Will act as honest broker, outlining EU policy towards Moscow ahead of Mr Bush's visit with Vladimir Putin

Jan-Peter Balkenende (Netherlands) Counter-terrorism. Will underline efforts by the EU to co-operate with the US on security

Silvio Berlusconi (Italy) Economic reform. Will stress the EU's bid to list competitiveness through structural economic reforms

Tony Blair (UK) Middle East peace process. Will call for US commitment to 'road-map' and stress vital role in regional stability.

Jacques Chirac (France) European integration. Expected to outline the next steps in integration that will flow from the EU constitution

Mikulas Dzurinda (Slovakia) Iraq. Will stress the EU's contribution to helping to shore up the new government

Ferenc Gyurcsany (Hungary) Ukraine. Will explain policy to encourage reform without immediate view of membership of EU

Goran Persson (Sweden) Millennium Development Goals. Will cover EU commitment to eliminating poverty in the Third World

Gerhard Schröder (Germany) Iran. Will ask for more public American backing for European diplomatic engagement with Tehran

Wolfgang Schüssel (Austria) Balkans. Will seek US support for EU policy in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia

Jose Zapatero (Spain) Barcelona process. Will underline the EU's efforts to build democracy in the Mediterranean region
20 February 2005 23:17

[uppityperson]

1. Who gets to ask about bulldog?

Being prezdint is hard werk but this is ridiculous and insulting. Way to go Mr.bush, rebuild and strengthen those European realtionships.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Why are they putting up with this crap?

It's time for Europe to start treating Bush as the supplicant. He is, in fact, there to beg for their support, even though the US is trying not to put it that way.

[Straight Shooter]

3. It isn't because of his attention span. His short-term memory is shot.

bush can answer a question, but he can't answer a follow-up question which is based on his response to the initial question.

bush is losing it. Everyone knows it. They ought to play mind games with him and ask him extremely convoluted questions. Jerk him around, the way he's been jerking them around.

Berlusconi, economic reform? Bwahahahahaha!

[havocmom]

4. Hope they all just say, "Never mind, we know he would lie anyway"

and turn their backs on him.

[EC]

5. I wish they'd all just say Screw this we don't need him anyway....n/t

[JDPriestly]

6. What a sham.

Why do Europeans grovel like this? Can you imagine how the U.S. press would react if Jacques Chirac treated Bush this way?

"You get one issue and make it short. I'm busy."

[Supersedeas]

7. at least he is not sitting on Dick Cheney's lap

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. What if they don't ask the questions expected of them?

Will Georgie throw a tantrum?

Oh, and is he answering these questions with wires attached?

[LiberalFighter]

9. Or the European leaders go in a different order than planned??

[Dirk39]

10. No question nobody... in Mainz:

Initial plans for a "town hall" style meeting between the president and local students, businessmen and Americans in the area have also been scrapped, out of fears that such a public forum could backfire.


http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1491765,00.html

Dirk