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The editorial in Sunday's Le Monde, France's newspaper of note, praises Chriac for opening the G-8 up to the rest of the world. This year's G-8 included the regulars, Germany, Italy, UK, USA, France, Japan, Russia, and Canada, and added representatives from 13 other countries: including China, India, Brasil, Egypt, and Nigeria. The editorial goes on to praise Chriac for eschewing, throughout his career, Western Ethnocentrism.
If it's true, that Chirac, as host, included these countries because he so cares about non-Westerners, then why did he: support a regime in Iraq with weapons and money to brutally oppress its own people; handicap an inspections regime that could have avoided a war he so hates; invade the soveriegn nation of Cote d'Ivoire without any international backing or discussion at the UN; push the North Korea crisis onto the shoulders of America alone saying "it's your problem, bud," while the people of N. Korea live in the worst conditions on Earth?
Answer, Chirac doesn't care about anyone except his constiuents. He's brining in these countries because they are visibly opposed to the current US administration. The balance of power at the G-8 could be seen as tenuous with Italy, the US, the UK, Canada, and Japan on the same page, against Russia, Germany, and France. By bringing in countries sympathetic to his postion, Chirac can boost his powerbase at this important conference.
p.s. for a rough translation, go to //babelfish.altavista.com
Posted by Owen at June 3, 2003 12:11 PM | TrackBack