Squabbles erupt as G7 leaders open summit in French resort

[rooster59]

Squabbles erupt as G7 leaders open summit in French resort

By Jeff Mason and William James

 

Demonstrators react after police used tear gas during a protest against G7 summit, in Bayonne, France, August 24, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

 

BIARRITZ, France (Reuters) - Squabbles erupted among G7 nations on Saturday as their leaders gathered for an annual summit, exposing sharp differences on global trade tensions, Britain's exit from the EU and how to respond to the fires raging in the Amazon rainforest.

 

French President Emmanuel Macron, the summit host, planned the three-day meeting in the Atlantic seaside resort of Biarritz as a chance to unite a group of wealthy countries that has struggled in recent years to speak with one voice.

 

Macron set an agenda for the group - France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - that included the defence of democracy, gender equality, education and the environment. He invited Asian, African and Latin American leaders to join them for a global push on these issues.

 

However, in a bleak assessment of relations between once-close allies, European Council President Donald Tusk said it was getting "increasingly" hard to find common ground.

 

"This is another G7 summit which will be a difficult test of unity and solidarity of the free world and its leaders," he told reporters ahead of the meeting. "This may be the last moment to restore our political community."

 

U.S. President Donald Trump had brought last year's G7 summit to an acrimonious end, walking out early from the gathering in Canada and rejecting the final communique.

 

Trump arrived in France a day after responding to a new round of Chinese tariffs by announcing that Washington would impose an additional 5% duty on some $550 billion worth of Chinese imports, the latest escalation of the tit-for-tat trade war by the world's two largest economies.

 

"So far so good," Trump told reporters as he sat on a seafront terrace with Macron, saying the two leaders had a special relationship. "We'll accomplish a lot this weekend."

 

Macron listed foreign policy issues the two would address, including Libya, Syria and North Korea, and said they shared the objective of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

 

Trump later wrote on Twitter that lunch with Macron was the best meeting the pair has yet had, and that a meeting with world leaders on Saturday evening also "went very well."

 

However, the initial smiles could not disguise the opposing approaches of Trump and Macron to many problems, including the knotty questions of protectionism and tax.

 

Before his arrival, Trump repeated a threat to tax French wines in retaliation for a new French levy on digital services, which he says unfairly targets U.S. companies.

 

Two U.S. officials said the Trump delegation was also irked that Macron had skewed the focus of the G7 meeting to "niche issues" at the expense of the global economy, which many leaders worry is slowing sharply and at risk of slipping into recession.

 

French riot police used water cannons and tear gas on Saturday to disperse anti-capitalism protesters in Bayonne, near Biarritz. A police helicopter circled as protesters taunted lines of police.

 

The leaders themselves were gathering behind tight security in a waterfront conference venue, the surrounding streets barricaded by police.

 

SPAT OVER 'MR NO DEAL' BREXIT

 

Macron opened the summit with a dinner at the base of a clifftop lighthouse overlooking Biarritz, where a menu of piperade, a Basque vegetable specialty, tuna and French cheeses awaited the leaders.

 

Adding to the unpredictable dynamic between the G7 leaders are the new realities facing Brexit-bound Britain: dwindling influence in Europe and growing dependency on the United States.

 

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson will want to strike a balance between not alienating Britain's European allies and not irritating Trump and possibly jeopardising future trade ties. Johnson and Trump will hold bilateral talks on Sunday morning.

 

Johnson and Tusk sparred before the summit over who would be to blame if Britain leaves the EU on Oct. 31 without a withdrawal agreement.

 

Tusk told reporters he was open to ideas from Johnson on how to avoid a no-deal Brexit when the two men meet.

 

"I still hope that PM Johnson will not like to go down in history as Mr No Deal," said Tusk, who as council president leads the political direction of the 28-nation European Union.

 

Johnson, who has said since he took office last month that he will take Britain out of the bloc on Oct. 31 regardless of whether a deal can be reached, later retorted that it would be Tusk himself who would carry the mantle if Britain could not secure a new withdrawal agreement.

 

"I would say to our friends in the EU if they don't want a no-deal Brexit then we've got to get rid of the backstop from the treaty," Johnson told reporters, referring to the Irish border protocol that would keep the border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland open after Brexit.

 

"If Donald Tusk doesn't want to go down as Mr No Deal then I hope that point will be borne in mind by him, too," Johnson said on his flight to France.

 

Johnson is trying to persuade EU leaders to drop the backstop from a withdrawal agreement that was negotiated by his predecessor but rejected three times by the British Parliament as the United Kingdom struggles to fulfil a 2016 referendum vote to leave the bloc.

 

'NOT THE WAY TO PROCEED'

 

Despite the Brexit tensions, diplomats played down the likelihood of Trump and Johnson joining hands against the rest, citing Britain's foreign policy alignment with Europe on issues from Iran and trade to climate change.

 

"There won't be a G5+2," one senior G7 diplomat said.

 

Indeed, Johnson said he would tell Trump to pull back from a trade war that is already destabilising economic growth around the world.

 

"This is not the way to proceed," he said. "Apart from everything else, those who support the tariffs are at risk of incurring the blame for the downturn in the global economy, irrespective of whether or not that is true."

 

Anti-summit protests have become common, and on Saturday thousands of anti-globalisation activists, Basque separatists and "yellow vest" protesters marched peacefully across France's border with Spain to demand action from the leaders.

 

"It's more money for the rich and nothing for the poor," said Alain Missana, an electrician wearing a yellow vest - symbol of anti-government protests that have rattled France for months.

 

EU leaders piled pressure on Friday on Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro over fires raging in the Amazon rainforest.

 

Even so, Britain and Germany were at odds with Macron's decision to pressure Brazil by blocking a trade deal between the EU and the Mercosur group of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

 

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said not concluding the trade deal was "not the appropriate answer to what is happening in Brazil now."

 

The UK's Johnson appeared to disagree with Macron on how to respond. "There are all sorts of people who will take any excuse at all to interfere with trade and to frustrate trade deals and I don't want to see that," he said.

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and William James in Biarritz; Additional reporting by Richard Lough, Marine Pennetier, John Chalmers, Crispian Balmer and John Irish in Biarritz, Bryan Pietsch in Washington, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels and Chris Steitz in Frankfurt; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Frances Kerry and Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-25

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[Bluespunk]

9 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

I would say to our friends in the EU if they don't want a no-deal Brexit then we've got to get rid of the backstop from the treaty," Johnson told reporters,

Just don’t listen do you, johnson?

 

You have no valid alternative, so that is not going to happen. 

[TopDeadSenter]

8 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

However, in a bleak assessment of relations between once-close allies, European Council President Donald Tusk said it was getting "increasingly" hard to find common ground.

Tragic to see this cabal fall apart so dramatically. It all looked so good on paper. Oh well. Never mind. I hope news that Boris is not going to be gifting the lads that 30 billion quid didn't ruffle any feathers and contribute to the squabbling.

[Chomper Higgot]

“Johnson said he would tell Trump to pull back from a trade war that is already destabilising economic growth around the world.”

 

Note to Johnson:- Do at least try to keep it believable. Your plan for a post Brexit UK involves you begging Trump for a trade deal; nobody believes you’d dare risk upsetting his fragile ego. 

 

Do the right thing and take along some wet-wipes, they’ll come in handy.

 

 

 

[Tug]

How long an donald stay civil? I predict another (episode)within 2 days 

[evadgib]

Here's what Johnson actually said plus this bonus.

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Tragic to see this cabal fall apart so dramatically. It all looked so good on paper. Oh well. Never mind. I hope news that Boris is not going to be gifting the lads that 30 billion quid didn't ruffle any feathers and contribute to the squabbling.

That 30 odd billion will be paid, deal or no deal, the policies that the UK not only agreed to but was also instrumental in forming have to be paid, you can't just vote for new furniture for the clubroom, sign on the dotted line and then say I'm leaving the club now so I don't have to pay.

[Chomper Higgot]

16 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Here's what Johnson actually said plus this bonus.

That’s the Government’s official statement.

 

What Johnson said elsewhere is another matter and is reported in the OP.

[DannyCarlton]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Tragic to see this cabal fall apart so dramatically. It all looked so good on paper. Oh well. Never mind. I hope news that Boris is not going to be gifting the lads that 30 billion quid didn't ruffle any feathers and contribute to the squabbling.

Never has the UK, the US and the world been so divided. So much for "populism". Very sad, it could all end in tears.

[evadgib]

Trump has just decried G7 fake news on twitter and said he's heading for breakfast with BJ ????

[Bundooman]

4 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Just don’t listen do you, johnson?

 

You have no valid alternative, so that is not going to happen. 

Actually, I think he does listen. It would appear that he is not going to be told by Tusk what he should or should not do as the British PM.

 

"You have no valid alternative"?  How do you know that 'Oh wise one'? Have you thought this through? Of course there is an alternative - there always is. That's why Merkel has agreed to a 30 day interval, isn't it?

 

But you are a 'Remainer', no doubt. Things aren't going your way, are they? Well, old son, things didn't go my way over the past 50 years where the disastrous Labour party won the public vote and wrecked the country. There was no "re-run" for those voting situations - were there? 

 

There are valid arguments both for remaining and for leaving. I prefer to believe that leaving would be better for the UK. One thing is certain, we cannot go backwards.

 

Roughly 50% of UK is going to be extremely unhappy - whichever way this thing pans out.

 

That's why there is always - an alternative! 

 

 

 

[stevenl]

" There are valid arguments both for remaining and for leaving. I prefer to believe that leaving would be better for the UK. One thing is certain, we cannot go backwards. "

Strange these 2 statements in one paragraph 'we can not go backwards' and 'leaving would be better for the UK'.

[Bundooman]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

“Johnson said he would tell Trump to pull back from a trade war that is already destabilising economic growth around the world.”

 

Note to Johnson:- Do at least try to keep it believable. Your plan for a post Brexit UK involves you begging Trump for a trade deal; nobody believes you’d dare risk upsetting his fragile ego. 

 

Do the right thing and take along some wet-wipes, they’ll come in handy.

 

 

 

Before accusing Johnson of "begging' - I strongly recommend you take note of what the US envoys are saying in the news about anticipating a meeting with Johnson to discuss trade deals.

 

Do the right thing and either grow up, or keep abreast of what is going on in the world. He's the UK PM - not you!

 

 

[Laughing Gravy]

It is astounding and hilarious to see the non Brits on here hoping, praying and coming out with ridiculous comments on Boris Johnson and Brexit. You would think that they are about to lose lots of money, which is true as they will have a big hole to fill from the UK's contributions.

 

The many comments, confused smileys clearly show we have a very jealous and and little minded posters. Must be inferior complex syndrome.

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

How long an donald stay civil? I predict another (episode)within 2 days 

you give him to much credit...just wait another couple hours and he will start the ramping, his ego can't stand somebody else getting attention

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

Trump has just decried G7 fake news on twitter and said he's heading for breakfast with BJ ????

he's having BJ that early...attaboy

[DannyCarlton]

38 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

"You have no valid alternative"?  How do you know that 'Oh wise one'? Have you thought this through? Of course there is an alternative - there always is. That's why Merkel has agreed to a 30 day interval, isn't it?

555 He knows that because he and the negotiating team have spent 3 years working on it, for the last 12 months pretty much nothing else. Johnson asked for 2 years, as that would be the minimum time to find an alternative and to bat the ball back into the EU's court, Merkel gave him 30 days, batting the ball straight back into Johnson's court. That left him lost for words. You need to accept the fact that the man's an idiot, Merkel isn't.

[DannyCarlton]

16 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

he's having BJ that early...attaboy

There's more than a little truth in that. They've just made a post coital appearance together. Quite a sickening bromance. It was quite clear that Trump had just shafted him....up the jacksey. Probably brought Johnson back memories of his days in the dorm at Eton.

[DannyCarlton]

40 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

The many comments, confused smileys clearly show we have a very jealous and and little minded posters. Must be inferior complex syndrome.

90% of the trolling smiley faces come from Brexiteers. Nauseous posts more than the rest of us put together. Man child.

 

Agree on the inferiority complex syndrome.

[Chomper Higgot]

36 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It is astounding and hilarious to see the non Brits on here hoping, praying and coming out with ridiculous comments on Boris Johnson and Brexit. You would think that they are about to lose lots of money, which is true as they will have a big hole to fill from the UK's contributions.

 

The many comments, confused smileys clearly show we have a very jealous and and little minded posters. Must be inferior complex syndrome.

Once again we are at this juncture where paying attention to the politics on both sides of the Atlantic provides the reward of understanding, an understanding denied to more parochially fixated minds.

 

Lift your gaze beyond your unfounded assumptions, go beyond these themes to which you constantly return; there is much to learn and understand. 

 

 

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, Bundooman said:

Before accusing Johnson of "begging' - I strongly recommend you take note of what the US envoys are saying in the news about anticipating a meeting with Johnson to discuss trade deals.

 

Do the right thing and either grow up, or keep abreast of what is going on in the world. He's the UK PM - not you!

 

 

Who voted for him ?

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, Bundooman said:

Actually, I think he does listen. It would appear that he is not going to be told by Tusk what he should or should not do as the British PM.

 

"You have no valid alternative"?  How do you know that 'Oh wise one'? Have you thought this through? Of course there is an alternative - there always is. That's why Merkel has agreed to a 30 day interval, isn't it?

 

But you are a 'Remainer', no doubt. Things aren't going your way, are they? Well, old son, things didn't go my way over the past 50 years where the disastrous Labour party won the public vote and wrecked the country. There was no "re-run" for those voting situations - were there? 

 

There are valid arguments both for remaining and for leaving. I prefer to believe that leaving would be better for the UK. One thing is certain, we cannot go backwards.

 

Roughly 50% of UK is going to be extremely unhappy - whichever way this thing pans out.

 

That's why there is always - an alternative! 

 

 

 

So what is it?

 

What is johnson’s genius solution that is going to protect the Good Friday Agreement?

[DannyCarlton]

2 hours ago, Bundooman said:

But you are a 'Remainer', no doubt. Things aren't going your way, are they? Well, old son, things didn't go my way over the past 50 years where the disastrous Labour party won the public vote and wrecked the country. There was no "re-run" for those voting situations - were there? 

Actually there was. February 1974 (Labour coalition), 8 months later (not 3 years) October 1974 (labour win).

 

I think you'll find that over the last 50 years the Tories have spent more time in power than Labour.

 

And it was Thatcher who increased the number of unemployed from 1m to 3.5m whilst overseeing the destruction of the British manufacturing industry.

[AGareth2]

14 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

So what is it?

 

What is johnson’s genius solution that is going to protect the Good Friday Agreement?

Ireland maintains regulatory alignment with the UK

[DannyCarlton]

16 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

Ireland maintains regulatory alignment with the UK

You mean, Ireland leaves the EU too? Novel. I like it!

[AGareth2]

1 minute ago, DannyCarlton said:

You mean, Ireland leaves the EU too? Novel. I like it!

problem solved

[stevenl]

26 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

problem solved

And without the need for a referendum, so no money wasted as well.

[DannyCarlton]

8 minutes ago, stevenl said:

And without the need for a referendum, so no money wasted as well.

I wonder if Boris has run it past Leo Varadkar yet? He'll probably get Trump to do that for him. If Varadkar doesn't agree, Trump will just buy Ireland and do it anyway.

 

Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Trump probably wouldn't know the difference anyway. An island in the Atlantic, how different can they be?

 

 

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, AGareth2 said:

Ireland maintains regulatory alignment with the UK

Eire has already got what they require in the deal on offer. 

[Laughing Gravy]

34 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Eire has already got what they require in the deal on offer. 

You are right there the lackeys of the EU. Eire is being used and abused and so many posters on here, actually think Leo is in control.

 

When he has to do a u turn and i am sure it will be spun as Leo fully agrees what will you say then. Unification. I see you are dreaming.