G8? This was more like G-hate: How the greatest diplomatic shindig in the world turned into a bubbling stewpot of tensions, rivalries and downright loathing
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Officially, it has been the greatest diplomatic shindig in the world. Unofficially? A stewpot of bubbling tensions, rivalries and downright loathing. G8 they call it. G-hate, more like.
Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin sat next to each other in one of the little ‘bilaterals’ which have been held at the G8 summit in County Fermanagh. Boxing gloves, please!
Did two chaps ever look less thrilled to see one another?
A tired Mr Obama held one hand up to his face and grimaced. Mr Putin - bad Vlad in his Harry-Hill-style shirt collar - stared at the floor, lips pursed. When the Russian president spat out a few gruff words, his face barely moved. But that may be because he has had so much plastic surgery that he now resembles the Bride of Wildenstein. Vladimir’s face-lift was the talk of the summit margins.
Tensions and rivalries: Leaders walk out at the G8 summit, at Lough Erne, near Enniskillen, in Northern Ireland
Smile!: Leaders pose at the G8 summit, which officially has been the greatest diplomatic shindig in the world. But unofficially, it was more like stewpot of downright loathing
Vladimir Putin, left, David Cameron and Barack Obama sat together in one of the little 'bilaterals' which have been held at the summit. Did two chaps ever look less thrilled to see one another than Obama and Putin?
Speaking out: British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had a gloriously sticky press conference with Mr Putin on Sunday, joked with those attending the summit
G8 veterans said they had not known personal relations so bad between the two old Cold War opponents.
The Syrian civil war, with Russia on one side of the bloody conflict and the north Americans and Britain on the other, was only one reason for the simmering unease between the main players.
David Cameron, who had a gloriously sticky press conference with Mr Putin on Sunday, knows that the former KGB officer is leading a Moscow regime whose enemies - Alexander Litvinenko, Boris Berezovsky - most conveniently (or inconveniently), keep dropping dead on British soil. Very James Bond.
Tensions and rivalries: Leaders walk out at the G8 summit, at Lough Erne, near Enniskillen, in Northern Ireland
Smile!: Leaders pose at the G8 summit, which officially has been the greatest diplomatic shindig in the world. But unofficially, it was more like stewpot of downright loathing
Vladimir Putin, left, David Cameron and Barack Obama sat together in one of the little 'bilaterals' which have been held at the summit. Did two chaps ever look less thrilled to see one another than Obama and Putin?
Speaking out: British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had a gloriously sticky press conference with Mr Putin on Sunday, joked with those attending the summit
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Talking of secrets and subterfuge, the visiting statesmen awoke in Northern Ireland on Monday morning to be greeted by headlines in the ever-helpful Guardian newspaper saying that Britain commonly spies on, er, visiting statesmen. Oops!
If everyone didn’t already hate David Cameron for being given a ride in President Obama’s armoured car (the ‘Beast’) over the weekend, they certainly do now.
There was no love lost between the two EU officials attending the summit, furtive-faced European Council president Herman Van ‘Rumpy-Pumpy’ Rompuy and the gassy European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
The Syrian civil war, with Russia on one side of the bloody conflict and the north Americans and Britain on the other, was only one reason for the simmering unease between the main players
Herman and Jose ‘overlap’ (that’s a polite way of saying they largely duplicate responsibilities and therefore compete with one another). They looked as though they want to duck one another in Lough Erne.
As with the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, you rather wish both could lose but observers awarded the bout on points to Jose on the grounds that he at least has a sense of humour. When Rumpy-Pumpy leaves a meeting, its other occupants are rigid in their chairs, like victims of chemical warfare.
David Cameron had set the shirtsleeve-order dress code. Great idea for hot countries but a bit of a nipple-lifter in draughty Ulster. The open-collar look was not flattering to chunky Prime Minister Stephen Harper from Canada. Nor, for that matter, did the dress-down look do much for Mr Cameron, who is going through one of his porkier phases.
Casual: France's Francois Hollande (right of President Obama) was there, glowering at summit host Cameron not only for being English but also for being Angela Merkel's new best friend in Europe
France’s Francois Hollande was there, glowering at summit host Cameron not only for being English (naturally) but also for being Angela Merkel’s new best friend in Europe.
The French recently took le hump when Dave and the glamorous Samantha (fetch that effortless fashion, Michelle Obama!) were invited to Frau Merkel’s country home. But hey, who would want the Hollandes to stay?
Francois’s fiery missus Valeria Trierweiler is une faste bowleur, as they say in Paris. Perhaps the Merkels value their family china.
As for the French economy, well, there was surely an unofficial policy of ‘don’t mention le slump’. Did anyone mentioning growth rates at the leaders’ cosy private supper on Monday night have to put a fiver in the swear box?
From left to right posed Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, David Cameron, Barack Obama and Francois Hollande
There were also money worries at the summit, with Japanese newboy Shinzo Abe's neo-Keynesian approach - spend, spend, spend - clashing with the more cautious approach of the Anglo-Saxons
There were also money worries, with Japanese newboy Shinzo Abe’s neo-Keynesian approach - spend, spend, spend - clashing with the more cautious approach of the Anglo-Saxons.
Great hairdo, by the way, Shinzo. Do you go to the same barber as Shakin’ Stevens?
And if any of you are wondering who that tall chap was, the one with the glasses and the brown shoes, yes, he really was meant to be there. He wasn’t the hotel manager. His name was Enrico Letta, new PM of Italy. Most interesting thing about him: he likes the table football game Subbuteo.
But it may not be necessary to memorise the name. If Chancellor Merkel continues to impose her flinty austerity regime on the Mediterranean economies, old Enrico could be gone before you can boil a pan of macaroni.
All in all, a diplomatic triumph!
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2344088/Barack-Obama-Vladimir-Putin-Did-chaps-look-thrilled-another.html#ixzz2WczsQ4MG
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The Syrian civil war, with Russia on one side of the bloody conflict and the north Americans and Britain on the other, was only one reason for the simmering unease between the main players
Casual: France's Francois Hollande (right of President Obama) was there, glowering at summit host Cameron not only for being English but also for being Angela Merkel's new best friend in Europe
From left to right posed Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, David Cameron, Barack Obama and Francois Hollande
There were also money worries at the summit, with Japanese newboy Shinzo Abe's neo-Keynesian approach - spend, spend, spend - clashing with the more cautious approach of the Anglo-Saxons
Michelle and the girls ditch their casual clothes in Ireland to look glamorous on arrival in Berlin as the President faces tough questions over NSA scandal
- President arrives in Berlin tonight in preparation for speech on Wednesday
- Comes almost exactly 50 years since JFK gave 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech
- Obama visited Germany in 2008 and drew crowd of 200,000 supporters... but protesters were out at Checkpoint Charlie on Tuesday in outrage over the NSA surveillance programs
By HUGO GYE and LOUISE BOYLE
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The Obamas touched down in Berlin on Tuesday evening for a whirlwind 24-hour visit to Germany, the culmination of which will be the President's speech at the Brandenburg Gate.
The First Lady had made a quick change into a sleek black trouser-and-cardigan combo with studded belt while daughters Malia and Sasha were all smiles in short dresses and neon accessories.
The President left the plane holding his youngest daughter Sasha's hand, waving to the crowds gathered at Tegel Airport. Michelle followed with eldest daughter Malia who had styled her white lace dress with biker boots.
During the brief trip, the President will hold meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other government officials but is likely to face some tough questions over his handling of the NSA surveillance scandal.
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Willkommen Obamas! The first family landed in Berlin on Tuesday after the completion of the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland
Family trip: U.S. President Barack Obama and his daughter Sasha disembark from Air Force One at BerlinTegel airport
Ceremony: President Obama and First Lady Michelle are welcomed by a German honor guard upon their arrival
On trend: Malia Obama, 14, contrasted a white pretty dress with biker boots while her 11-year-old sister Sasha wore a checked dress, neon shoes and matching accessories
He arrived in Berlin following the two-day, G8 summit at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland. There have already been tense moments on the trip, in particular during the President's discussions with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over the Syrian crisis.
During the summit, Michelle and daughters traveled to the Republic of Ireland to do some sightseeing. At points, Malia and Sasha had seem less than enthralled with the outings including a visit to the medieval Book of Kells in Trinity College, Dublin and the picturesque Glendalough.
The First Lady and her girls kept it casual for the short jaunt, spending Tuesday in jeans and sneakers and enjoying a pub lunch with rock star Bono.
It was all change when the family landed on the continent with Obama appearing to have found the tie he ditched during the summit while his wife and daughters ramped up their White House star quality.
The President's visit comes nearly 50 years to the day after John F. Kennedy's famous Cold War address in Berlin.
Changing times: Protesters at Checkpoint Charlie play on Obama's presidential slogan Yes We Can while telling him that he was welcome in Germany... but NSA policies were not
Jetset: Obama is met by officials at the airport in Berlin after a short flight from Northern Ireland
However compared to his last visit in 2008 - when then presidential candidate Obama received a rock-star welcome from 200,000 people - this trip is likely to be more uncomfortable visit for the U.S. leader who faces tough questions in Europe over the NSA surveillance of American citizens.
Protesters gathered on Tuesday at Checkpoint Charlie - the Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War - to show their outrage at the Obama administration's surveillance of email and phone records.
Star quality: Michelle Obama looked glamorous as she has handed a bunch of flowers on arrival in Berlin
Official welcome: German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle greets the Obama family on Tuesday evening at the foot of Air Force One
Popularity wanes: Obama is likely to face a frostier welcome in Germany following the NSA scandal
Demonstrators held up signs reading 'Yes We Scan' - playing on Obama's 2008 presidential campaign slogan - along with the words 'Your privacy ends here'.
The U.S. leader was also likely to face tough questions from German officials over the NSA matter and leaks about the agency's secretive methods by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Germany's federal data protection commissioner, Peter Schaar, has already called the U.S.'s access of thousands of private social media and email accounts 'monstrous', according to the New York Times.
Casual look: Michelle Obama with daughter Malia and Sasha in jeans and sweatshirts while visiting Glendalough in Ireland earlier on Tuesday
Obama will tomorrow set himself up as the heir to JFK when he makes a speech in Berlin in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
It is almost exactly 50 years since JFK addressed a crowd of Germans at the height of the Cold War and declared: 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'
His successor as U.S. President will attempt to channel the memory of that historic occasion when he delivers an address in the aftermath of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland.
Obama's speech on Wednesday will not be the first one he has given in Berlin.
Speech: Barack Obama, pictured today at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland with David Cameron and Francois Hollande, is set to give an address in Berlin on Wednesday
Parallels: John F. Kennedy delivered an iconic speech in Berlin on 26 June, 1963 - almost exactly 50 years ago
Five years ago, when he was still seeking election as President, Mr Obama received a rapturous reception on a brief tour of Europe where he was greeted as a leader who could give the world a fresh start after the controversial presidency of George W. Bush.
Now he is a much more divisive figure - although his re-election last year was welcomed by most Europeans, recent revelations about his administration's spying on internet communications have tarnished his record in the eyes of many.
Mr Obama's speech tomorrow will inevitably be compared with JFK's, which took place on June 26, 1963 at the Rathaus Schöneberg, a few miles away from the Berlin Wall which had been under construction over the previous two years.
Kennedy's speech, considered one of his best, held up West Germany as a symbol of freedom on the front line of the battle against communism.
It featured the famous line: 'All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words, "Ich bin ein Berliner!"'
People have since suggested that the German quotation was in fact a mistranslation, meaning 'I am a jelly doughnut' rather than 'I am a Berliner', although no one appeared to comment on this at the time.
When Mr Obama, than a senator for Illinois, visited Berlin in 2008, he gave a speech to a crowd of more than 200,000 people, attracting headlines such as 'Germany meets the superstar'.
For his visit this week, by contrast, leading magazine Der Spiegel greeted him with the headline 'The Lost Friend'.
Although the President remains broadly popular among Germans, many are angry with his failure to close Guantanamo bay and the U.S. policy of targeting Islamic militants with drone attacks.
Moreover, recent revelations about the National Security Agency monitoring phone calls and internet use have further shaken his image.
'He is still popular but not like he was,' Henning Riecke, who heads the transatlantic relations programme at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, told Reuters.
'There's disappointment in Germany that he hasn't been able to close Guantanamo and there are concerns about his tactics in fighting terrorism. People have realised he's not a saint and he's not all-powerful.'
Last time: Mr Obama drew a crowd of 200,000 for a speech he gave during his election campaign in 2008
Meeting: The President is set to hold talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel; they are pictured in 2011
Mr Obama, who has not visited Germany since becoming President, is believed by many to have neglected Europe in favour of regions such as Asia and the Middle East.
He will give a speech to 4,000 invited guests on the eastern side of the Brandenburg Gate, in the Pariser Platz square - apparently chosen to avoid an embarrassing contrast with the turnout in 2008.
German chancellor Angela Merkel is likely to seek to take advantage of the meeting to boost her own chances of re-election ahead of the polls in September.
Talks between the two are likely to touch on issues including the ongoing eurozone crisis, the extent of the U.S. surveillance programme and the future of war-torn Syria.
Ms Merkel, who hails from the centre-Right, is sometimes said to have enjoyed better relations with George W. Bush, who invited her to his ranch in Texas and quizzed her about growing up in East Germany.
Setting up: A worker prepares the area around the Brandenburg Gate for Mr Obama's speech
Protest: The President is likely to face opposition from Europeans angry about his security policies
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2343771/Ich-bin-ein-Berliner-Obama-set-speech-German-capital-50-years-JFKs-legendary-address.html#ixzz2Wcz3tOkF
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