HomeOld_PostsThe Brisbane G-20 summit snub!

The Brisbane G-20 summit snub!

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IT is very easy for negative news to overshadow positive things.
The Group of 20 countries (G-20) recently met in Brisbane, Australia to discuss global economic growth, climate change, trade and cooperation among member countries, (as well as Ebola).
Instead of focusing on the deliberations at the G-20 summit, most media focussed on how the Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin had been isolated and snubbed at the summit.
The Daily Mail wrote: “From Vlad to worse: He was snubbed at the airport, made to sit alone at dinner, shunted to the edge of the family photo and condemned by world leaders.
“It’s no wonder President Putin wants Russia to leave the G20 summit.”
The VICE news wrote: “World Leaders Snub Putin at G20, Exile Him to ‘Social Siberia.”
Al Jazeera reported: “Snubs, barbs and isolation: Putin rounded on at G-20 summit” and in another headline: ‘Putin walks out of G-20 summit ‘to sleep’: “Brisbane meeting ends with Russian leader leaving hours before close in apparent snub at being criticised over Ukraine.”
Others focussed on Mr Putin’s early departure, with a publication called Armstrong Economics carrying a headline: ‘Putin Leaves G-20 Very Early – Snubbed by Western Leaders – Really Stupid Indeed’, and arguing that rather than ganging up against him, the Western countries should have tried to work out a ‘nice deal nice and quietly’ because, “You cannot push someone up against the wall and not expect a reaction,” it argued.
Andrew Stevens of the CNN commented that, “Given the mood of the summit, his speedy exit was hardly surprising.
“Putin had been a verbal punching bag for many of the G-20 leaders, critical of Russia’s reported movement of new troops and weapons into independent Ukraine.”
Another newspaper reported that Mr Putin had “had breakfast alone, ignored by fellow attendees.”
The Australian government sent a junior government official to welcome Mr Putin at the airport, while other world leaders such as Angela Merkel were welcomed by senior officials.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, said, “I guess I’ll shake your hand but I’ll only have one thing to say to you — get out of Ukraine,” as he greeted Mr Putin.
The Australian Prime Minister Mr Abbot is said to have told Mr Putin to stop recreating “the lost glories of tsarism or the Soviet Union”; and the British PM, David Cameron telling him that “the relationship that Britain has with Russia, that the European Union has with Russia, the relationship that I hope Australia has with Russia, will be very different.”
Commenting on his interaction with Mr Putin, President Obama said it was “business-like and blunt.”
Some ordinary people also felt that the snubbing of Mr Putin was far-fetched. Someone commented (on Al Jazeera) that “Anyone who expected Russia to just sit back and watch NATO move into their backyard needs to have their head examined.
“West hold better cards, but Putin is a match better player.
“As always regular people pay the price.”
And this is not the first time that world leaders (Western leaders) have arrogantly snubbed leaders who do not agree with their policies, and in a manner that resembles playground bullying.
In June, 2008, President Mugabe attended the Food Summit in Rome, and the event was also dominated by negative media of snubbing him.
The UK’s Daily Mail wrote, “Britain will join a global summit on soaring world food prices today amid condemnation of Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe’s presence at the crisis summit in Rome.
“International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander will snub Mr Mugabe after saying it was ‘obscene’ he was allowed to take part in the meeting.”
At the Pope’s funeral in April 2005, again international news headlines focussed on Prince Charles’ handshake with President Mugabe, making it appear more important than the burial of the Pope.
The BBC News ran a headline: ‘Prince’s Mugabe handshake gaffe: Prince Charles has made a diplomatic gaffe on the eve of his wedding, by shaking hands with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe at the Pope’s funeral.’
In September 2004 most British newspapers and news channels focussed on then British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw’s handshake with President Mugabe at a UN summit in New York; again overshadowing the food summit.
Jack Straw defended his action saying that, “But the fact that there is a serious disagreement between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom does not mean that you should then be discourteous or rude.”
However, in a ‘what-goes-around-comes-around’ situation, former US President George W Bush was snubbed at the G20 summit in 2008 when world leaders did not greet him.
South Africa is the only African country in the G-20.
Other countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.
While they may have managed to ‘humiliate’ the Russian President by snubbing him at the summit, the G-20 countries have a long way to go to achieve their desired goals.
For example, fighting climate change and growing their economies by 2,1 percent in 2018.
Adding more sanctions against Russia may be counterproductive as they may need each other for a stable economic growth.
Just a few days ago, PM David Cameron warned of a second global crash, warning of ‘red warning lights’ that are ‘flashing on the dashboard of the global economy’. Japan (a G-20 member) is slowly slipping into an economic recession.
According to the New York Times (November 17 2014), “On Monday, (Japan) the country unexpectedly fell into recession, a downturn that has painful implications for the rest of the world.”
On Ebola, the G-20 leaders promised to do all they can to extinguish the disease in West Africa.
This may also need a collective effort of all leaders.
Why then should world leaders, who should lead by example, behave like school children and take pride in humiliating other leaders?

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