Well, it's been a busy week
While some of you WA members were prancing around, comparing you hairdoes and speculating about who exactly blindfolded whom, some of us did some hard work.
First, I had the pleasure of seeing dear Nicolas again, this time as France's top man.
This is us sharing a little joke about how ridiculous wavy hair looks on politicians:
.
Of course we also talked seriously. The constitutional treaty ought to be ressucitated, we both agree on that, and on the fact that it should better not be called a constitution - that would make the voters think we think they're stupid, which is of course a bad idea. Instead we should just change its title, and it should pass - voters aren't that smart either!
After that, I had to face some trickier diplomacy. Mr. Putin was so kind as to invite Mr. Barroso and myself to Samara for a few days. Of course, I tried to put the discussion on sensible matters such as the always-discussed and never-implemented early energy warning system (translation: the Russians bloody well ought to warn us beforehand when they choose to cut off the gas in the middle of winter).
When I said that, Mr. Putin looked at me straight in the eye and took me to a concert instead. A concert! The music was nice - Tchaikovsky and Lizst, by the solists of the Bolshoi theatre - but it did not take us any further on the investment conditions for climate protection. If I didn't know better, I'd swear Mr. Putin is more interested in my virtue than in bilateral talks with the European Union!
Look at the ugly little man.
This is not my imagination now, is it? He really was trying to glue his offensive lips to my hand, à la Jacques Chirac? Urgh. I think I still prefer Mr. Bush's monkey-shoulder-rubs, at least they don't have a not-so-hidden seductive agenda.
Come to think of it, perhaps they do.
*shudders*
Now that's a thought I'd rather keep away from my mind.
Mr. Putin then proceeded to kidnap invite us on an impromptu cruise on the Volga. I desperately signed to Mr. Barroso to say no, but the idiot man didn't take the hint, and if I had said no myself the press would have jumped on the occasion and brought back Stalingrad and Germano-Sovietic alliances gone wrong and all that. So I had to comply and that little outing prevented me from making any progress on the Europeo-Russian co-operation treaty I had so hoped to further during this visit. I do not give in easily, as you well know, but I think I can say this peculiar project will not come to fruition under my presidency without being dubbed a pessimist.
And for all my sincere efforts, Mr. Kasparov still has the gall to call me "undiplomatic".
International relations are a tricky business, my friends, let me tell you.
So, how was your week?
First, I had the pleasure of seeing dear Nicolas again, this time as France's top man.
This is us sharing a little joke about how ridiculous wavy hair looks on politicians:
.
Of course we also talked seriously. The constitutional treaty ought to be ressucitated, we both agree on that, and on the fact that it should better not be called a constitution - that would make the voters think we think they're stupid, which is of course a bad idea. Instead we should just change its title, and it should pass - voters aren't that smart either!
After that, I had to face some trickier diplomacy. Mr. Putin was so kind as to invite Mr. Barroso and myself to Samara for a few days. Of course, I tried to put the discussion on sensible matters such as the always-discussed and never-implemented early energy warning system (translation: the Russians bloody well ought to warn us beforehand when they choose to cut off the gas in the middle of winter).
When I said that, Mr. Putin looked at me straight in the eye and took me to a concert instead. A concert! The music was nice - Tchaikovsky and Lizst, by the solists of the Bolshoi theatre - but it did not take us any further on the investment conditions for climate protection. If I didn't know better, I'd swear Mr. Putin is more interested in my virtue than in bilateral talks with the European Union!
Look at the ugly little man.
This is not my imagination now, is it? He really was trying to glue his offensive lips to my hand, à la Jacques Chirac? Urgh. I think I still prefer Mr. Bush's monkey-shoulder-rubs, at least they don't have a not-so-hidden seductive agenda.
Come to think of it, perhaps they do.
*shudders*
Now that's a thought I'd rather keep away from my mind.
Mr. Putin then proceeded to kidnap invite us on an impromptu cruise on the Volga. I desperately signed to Mr. Barroso to say no, but the idiot man didn't take the hint, and if I had said no myself the press would have jumped on the occasion and brought back Stalingrad and Germano-Sovietic alliances gone wrong and all that. So I had to comply and that little outing prevented me from making any progress on the Europeo-Russian co-operation treaty I had so hoped to further during this visit. I do not give in easily, as you well know, but I think I can say this peculiar project will not come to fruition under my presidency without being dubbed a pessimist.
And for all my sincere efforts, Mr. Kasparov still has the gall to call me "undiplomatic".
International relations are a tricky business, my friends, let me tell you.
So, how was your week?