Posted on 07/16/2006 5:10:42 PM PDT by blam
Red faces after Putin jibe over peerages
By Graeme Wilson and Alec Russell in St Petersburg
(Filed: 17/07/2006)
Tony Blair and Vladimir Putin tried to present a united front yesterday after the Russian president publicly mocked the Prime Minister's difficulties over the "cash for peerages" scandal.
The men exchanged diplomatic pleasantries following talks yesterday afternoon, but struggled to disguise the strained relations after Mr Putin's barbed intervention.
The Russian president used a televised press conference yesterday morning to take a swipe at Britain's increasingly beleaguered premier.
Asked by Alec Russell, The Daily Telegraph's Washington correspondent, about British criticism of Russia's human rights record, he replied: "There are also other questions, questions let's say about the fight against corruption. We would be interested in hearing your experience, including how it applies to Lord Levy."
His comments infuriated the British delegation at the G8 summit in St Petersburg, who had hoped to leave questions about cash for peerages behind.
Instead, Mr Putin's comments meant that an embarrassed Prime Minister was forced to field questions about the issue during a joint press conference with George W Bush yesterday.
Asked if he thought his role on the world stage was being undermined by the allegations that Labour traded peerages for millions of pounds in secret loans, he said: "No, I don't. I think I'm sure we will have a discussion not just about that."
During a briefing for journalists, the Prime Minister's spokesman was asked about Mr Putin's intervention. "I think if you look through what [Mr Putin] says, he has a little joke for each and every leader - and we have not lost our sense of humour," he said.
Mr Blair also faced disappointment at the summit, conceding that a trade deal to open up Western markets to the poorest countries could not be achieved there.
Putnam is a garbage keeper.
There is a lot to be said about a person who has such a need to build himself up by attempting to tear another down. It usually means he is pathetic. In this case I think it is clear Putin is a pathetic creature.
Have you ever met a Mongol comic?
Proving once again that like Yeltsin, Putin is not ready for the world stage.
Proving once again that like Yeltsin, Putin is not ready for the world stage.
Perhaps he needs a dose of his own medicine? Someone should take a jab at his odd behavior around small children.
His comments about Blair's scaldal at home has no place in diplomatic circles.
Putin is obviously out of his league.
He is actually in a league?
He's created this mess. He's surrounded himself with a bunch of KGB yes men. He always seems to get things wrong in public speeches about current events. It shows that the stream of information he's getting is very narrow.
I remember when he publicly said Bush had Dan Rather fired. Talk about embarrasing.
"I remember when he publicly said Bush had Dan Rather fired"
Yes - thanks for the reminder - he's a laughable sovet man.
There's an old saying - "A Farmer does not know what he does not eat."
Think maybe Putin was put on the "HOT" seat behind closed doors and this was all he could do about it??? Cause while everyone else is gasping over that 'poop' word the President used I want to know who the "they" is that he was referring to??? Could he (President Bush) have been sending his own signal???
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