G8 SUMMIT At a press conference wrapping up the G-8 summit in Sea Island, Georgia last week, George W. Bush was asked how his policy battles with some of his guests affected his personal relations with them. "Well, we go to different corners of the room and we face the wall," he said, laughing. It has been some time since he felt so free to make bad jokes. Bush has been working hard to mend fences and keep the world focused on the unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution passed last week recognizing the interim Iraqi government. Even French President Jacques Chirac had kind words. "I may say the Americans truly understood that they needed to play the game, and they did," he said referring to what some U.S. officials only half-jokingly call the lost art of diplomacy.
But Bush also raised new tensions, calling for an expanded role for NATO in Iraq only to receive a quick rejection from France and Turkey . Photo opportunities abounded, though sometimes leaders had some trouble achieving the
|
Food was a preferred topic, as Chirac complimented Bush on the cheeseburger he'd been served, and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi praised the Italians, sort of. "I love Italy! Berlusconi! Spaghetti!" he said, waving his arms. The place was hungry for good humor.
Second Time Lucky?
POLAND President Aleksander Kwasniewski nominated the leftist former Finance Minister Marek Belka as Prime Minister, again. Belka has two weeks to rally support ahead of a vote of confidence in parliament, which bounced his first nomination in May. A second rejection would trigger a general election in August; Euro-skeptic parties currently lead in opinion polls.
Courting the E.U.
TURKEY The appeals court in Ankara freed four former Kurdish M.P.s, jailed for 15 years in 1994 on charges of collaborating with separatist rebels. Among the four — who face retrial in July — was Leyla Zana, winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize. Brussels had warned Turkey that the M.P.'s detention jeopardized its chances of joining the E.U., whose leaders will decide in December whether to open accession negotiations with Ankara .
Ultimately, an O.K.
IRAQ The Kurdish parliament in northern Iraq endorsed the U.N. resolution on Iraq 's interim government, despite earlier criticizing it for failing to make reference to Iraq 's interim constitution, which guarantees Kurdish autonomy. Kurdish leaders had threatened to boycott the government, but accepted assurances that the fundamental law would be respected.
Second Time Unlucky?
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO President Joseph Kabila said that his government was in control after loyal troops put down a coup attempt by members of his presidential guard. It was the second attempted putsch against Kabila's power-sharing government since it was formed last year. His armed forces earlier retook the eastern city of Bukavu , which had been under rebel control for a week.
Chávez Faces a Recall
VENEZUELA The National Electoral Council set August 15 as the date of the recall referendum on the presidency of Hugo Chávez. If Chávez loses the vote a presidential election will be called in this major oil produce