Posted on 01/26/2005 10:30:20 AM PST by ejdrapes
DAVOS, Switzerland - French President Jacques Chirac called on the world's richest nations Wednesday to provide billions of dollars in aid for poor countries through new taxes and other measures that would help combat AIDS, poverty and natural disasters. He said the tsunami that struck Asian coastlines last month — possibly killing up to 300,000 people — should trigger not only aid to that region but a broader coordinated drive by developed nations to reach out to the Third World. "The world suffers chronically from what has been strikingly called the 'silent tsunamis.' Famine. Infectious diseases that decimate the life force of entire continents," Chirac said in a video message from Paris to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The annual meeting, in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, has taken on increased importance in recent years as globalization and common threats — from terrorism to increased vulnerability to natural disasters — have made the world's nations and governments more dependent on each other. Chirac alluded to such interdependence, saying that natural disasters, political unrest, uncontrolled migration and extremism are "breeding grounds for terrorism" — suggesting developed nations had a stake in resolving the problem. The French leader outlined a number of steps to raise billions of dollars through taxes on international financial transactions, plane tickets or fuel used by airliners and oceangoing vessels. He also proposed that countries with bank secrecy laws make a special contribution to Third World aid and that developed nations provide "coordinated tax incentives" to stimulate private donations. Chirac asked that the world's eight leading developed nations debate his plan at a G-8 summit in July in Scotland that will be hosted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He did not spell out an amount of money that would be generated, but gave several examples. A tax on international financial transactions — which the United States strongly opposes — would raise $10 billion a year, while a $1 tax on every plane ticket sold worldwide would raise "at least $3 billion" a year without causing the aviation industry much harm, Chirac said. Bad weather prevented Chirac from attending. Blair was to deliver an address later Wednesday at the gathering of the world's elite. Some 2,500 corporate, political and other leaders who spend five days debating an array of issues from AIDS to U.S. leadership, from Europe's anemic growth to China's phenomenal expansion. In over 200 workshops and debates, the Davos participants focus on "tough choices." One example is China, whose economic transformation is redrafting the world order and whose phenomenal growth has already triggered higher oil prices — which, in turn, sharpens the global climate change debate. China's growth will help spur "global demand for energy ... by 60 percent by 2030," said N.R. Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys Technologies of India. "There is no stopping this giant," said Takatoshi Ito of the University of Tokyo. China's economy grew at an annual rate of 9.5 percent in 2004, and many expect the 2005 figure to surpass that. He also said that China accounted for a staggering proportion of the world's consumption of some materials. "Last year, China consumed 25 to 30 percent of most major industrial materials, especially metals," said Stephen S. Roach, chief economist for Morgan Stanley USA. China was responsible for 43 percent of the world's consumption of concrete, he added. Conference attendees also focused on Europe's lackluster economic performance, the seemingly improved chances for peace in the Middle East, the future of U.S. global leadership, the fate of world trade talks, what to do with weapons of mass destruction and combatting poverty. "The three richest people in the world own more than the gross domestic product of 40 of the world's poorest nations," said Daniel Vasella, chief executive of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG. Former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans, who now heads the International Crisis Group, said 2005 was a pivotal year considering the pending world trade talks, a September summit of world leaders on global security issues and the need to meet U.N. development goals including halving global poverty by 2015. "If we don't understand the significance of 2005, we're just missing a really fundamental point," he said. "This is a make or break year." The administration of President Bush also has a crucial role, participants said. The United States "produces 30 percent of the world's goods and buys $600 billion in products from developing nations," said John A. Thain, chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange. "The U.S. leadership role in the global economy is an important one." Americans were also criticized, however, for borrowing a lot and saving little — suggesting excessive consumption. Stephen S. Roach, chief economist for Morgan Stanley USA, called U.S. consumers self-indulgent — terming them "an accident waiting to happen." Chirac Urges Taxes to Help World's Poor
heh
heh
And you question American humility?
As my tag line says Freedom isn't free. Someone pays a price. That price is certainly treasure and frequently blood. If you are unwilling to try then you deserve the chains you wear.
Why don't these people do what Americans did in 1776?
1. Overthrow their oppressors.
2.Get off their collective asses.
3.Use their own initiative to solve their problems.
4. Quit begging and do something for themselves.
As my dear grandmother used to say, "Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which comes up first!".
Oh sure, I'll pay his taxes, if that commie frog will come to my house to collect them. Before you volunteer to do that Jacque old boy, read the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of these here United States. Hint, hint, I'm armed to the teeth, you cheese eating, surrender monkey summitch. These socialists think that if they make some off the wall rule for us that we have to obey. The idiot dictators of the world have tried before to impose their will on the United States of America. It bought them a 6X3X6 ft hole in the ground, and that's what it'll get old Jacque and his blue helmet buddies in the UN.
Taxation without representation was one of the bedrock causes of the American revolution. If somehow the Senate and President sign up for some treaty allowing this, I forsee serious civil problems in the U.S. .
Most of african countries got huge natural resources in their ground.Did you hear something about french colonialism
? Don't you know that FRANCE is still exploiting resources in CONGO(oil) IVORY COAST....?
If you try to understand you can!You have only to try!
It's easy to understand that CHIRAC is playing a game giving
from times to times smoky ideas .I think he knows exactly what he is doing AND THAT he doesn't believe that he tells.
But he is only a wrong man trying to divide Europe from USA
Don't think so!
CHIRAC is not appreciate in many countries in Europe because of his arrogance
And just how much money is China kicking into this plan? My guess = 0. Tax yourself and keep the UN's hands out of my pocket.
Tax for AIDS,tax for hunger,tax for leprosy,tax for chicken flu,tax for tsunami,tax...
CHIRAC THE "WELL SPEAKING" MAN but bad doing...
There is the mayor part of EUROPE government which want to keep good relations with USA.
I think the challenge for USA is to isolate FRANCE since there will be a big change in french society
"Socialist idiot......handouts won't fix this problem. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime..."
How do you teach a man to fish without the funds to send the teacher to teach him?
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