The Star Online: World Updates
The Star Online: World Updates |
- Barack and Francois in show of 'bonhomie' at White House
- North and South Korea seek better ties at rare high-level talks
- China names errant law enforcement officials for the first time
| Barack and Francois in show of 'bonhomie' at White House Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:00 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There were no "freedom fries" or any other remembrances from strained Franco-American ties in the past. Instead, it was dry-aged beef and plenty of "bonhomie" as President Barack Obama gave a lavish welcome to French President Francois Hollande. Obama went out of his way to welcome Hollande at the White House on Tuesday, saying a few words in passable French, teasing the Frenchman for his formality and toying with the notion that U.S. ties with France are as close as they are with old ally Britain. "It is always a pleasure to host Francois," Obama said at a joint news conference after wishing reporters good afternoon in French. At a G8 summit at Camp David two years ago, Obama noted with a smile, "I was trying to make the summit casual, and Francois in true French style showed up in a necktie. We tried to get him to take it off." Hollande was equally effusive, referring to "Mr. President, dear Barack." The chumminess was not unexpected coming from two leaders who tend to see issues from the same leftward view. Obama went so far as to say that the U.S.-French alliance dating back more than two centuries "has never been stronger." Still, it was a noted difference from a decade ago when the Iraq war strained relations between the two countries, a time when "freedom fries" replaced French fries as a popular side dish in some American eateries. "Let's just say that we've come a long way from 'freedom fries,'" said a senior Obama administration official. Indeed, the menu for the state dinner featuring 350 guests in a heated tent on the White House South Lawn later on Tuesday included dry-aged rib eye beef and American wines. During his toast before the meal, Hollande joked about the two countries' affection for each other. "We love Americans, although we don't always say so. And you love the French, but you're sometimes too shy to say so," he quipped. Obama lavished some praise on a favourite French import. "Now, it is true that we Americans have grown to love all things French - the films, the food, the wine. Especially the wine," he said in his toast. ALL ALONE AND VEEP MEETS VEEP That Hollande showed up "tout seul," or all alone, was not talked about publicly. Hollande, 59, split with long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler last month after he was photographed on a motor scooter outside the Paris apartment of actress Julie Gayet, 41. Hollande's personal drama briefly caused some confusion at the White House. Would he bring Gayet to the Tuesday night state dinner? But all this was quickly moot when the French delegation list sent to the White House showed that Hollande would be stag. His singleness seemed to affect Michelle Obama more than anyone else. Before the dinner the U.S. first lady, wearing a flowing blue dress, came down the grand stair case at the White House by herself, behind her husband and the French president, who walked together. Business leaders, administration officials, and Hollywood stars were among the guests at the event, which was held in a lavish tent on the White House grounds. Vice President Joe Biden was seated next to actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who plays a U.S. vice president in the HBO television series "Veep." The real veep was overheard telling the TV show veep that he had requested that they be seated next to each other. "Look who I'm sitting next to," Louis-Dreyfus told nearby reporters. "That's my favourite part of the dinner right there." The fact that Hollande was granted the privilege of making the first state visit to the White House of Obama's second term was not lost on French reporters, who asked at the press conference whether this was a sign that France was supplanting traditional U.S. ally Britain. Obama's answer represented a delicate diplomatic dance. "I have two daughters," he said. "And they are both gorgeous and wonderful. And I would never choose between them. And that's how I feel about my outstanding European partners. All of them are wonderful in their own ways." Hollande could not resist the urge to join this line of conversation when it was his turn to speak. "Well, "I have four children," he said. "So that makes it even more difficult for me to make any choice at all. But we're not trying to be anyone's favourite." (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Eric Walsh) |
| North and South Korea seek better ties at rare high-level talks Posted: 11 Feb 2014 08:15 PM PST SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea held their first high-level talks in seven years on their armed border on Wednesday, exploring ways to improve ties while the South and the United States geared up for large-scale military drills that have angered Pyongyang. The meeting was set up with unusual speed and great secrecy at the North's suggestion last week, the latest example of conflicting signals coming from Pyongyang that included an abrupt cancellation of an invitation for a U.S. envoy to visit. The North is likely to repeat its demand for the South and the United States to scrap the military drills, due to start later this month, but both sides have plenty of incentives to seek a deal that could break their long stalemate. "For the North, if it comes back with an accomplishment in terms of improved South-North ties, it will mean a better atmosphere for Kim Jong Un to visit China and a justification to pursue high-level talks with the United States," said Cheong Seong-chang, an expert at the Sejong Institute outside Seoul. Kim is believed to be seeking a visit to China, Pyongyang's greatest ally and main benefactor, to reinforce his legitimacy as leader. In his early 30s, Kim took power when his father died suddenly in 2010, The South Korean delegation is led by President Park Geun-hye's deputy national security adviser. North Korea has sent the second-highest ranking official in the ruling Workers' Party department charged with ties with the South. The two sides wrapped up a morning session but there was no word on what was discussed in the closed-door meeting at the Panmunjom truce village on the border. The meeting comes a week before the two sides are scheduled to hold reunions of family members separated since the 1950-53 Korean War at the Mount Kumgang resort just inside the North, which is considered a major humanitarian event by the South. However, the North has threatened to cancel the reunions, citing a sortie last week by a nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bomber near the Korean peninsula. The North has also called for the cancellation of the annual military drills by the South and the United States, calling them a rehearsal for war despite repeated assertions by Seoul and Washington that the drills are routine and defensive. North Korea has cancelled an invitation for U.S. human rights envoy Robert King to visit Pyongyang to discuss the release of imprisoned U.S. missionary Kenneth Bae, which had been expected to come as early as this week. South Korea halted all trade and most investment with the impoverished North Korea in May 2010 after the sinking of one of its warships, which it blamed on Pyongyang. A joint factory project in the North's border city of Kaesong is the last remaining symbol of economic cooperation between the two Koreas. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Paul Tait) |
| China names errant law enforcement officials for the first time Posted: 11 Feb 2014 07:45 PM PST BEIJING (Reuters) - China has publicly identified for the first time police officers, judges and prosecutors who violate disciplinary rules in a bid to address widespread discontent over officials that undermine the rule of law, state media said. The move comes as President Xi Jinping wages a war on corruption to win back public confidence in the face of a seemingly endless stream of embarrassing scandals. A police officer in eastern Shandong province who drove a police vehicle after drinking and a judge in the central province of Hubei who "had an affair and maintained improper sexual relations with a female lawyer as well as received bribes" were among the first 10 people named by state news agency Xinhua late on Tuesday. The Communist Party's Commission for Political and Legal Affairs Central Committee said that "all staff of the political and legal system ... must take a zero tolerance attitude toward disciplinary and legal violations", Xinhua reported. Xinhua also cited the commission as saying that it would publicise typical cases throughout the year and welcomed supervision by the public. "Law enforcement staff usually break the rules while they are fully aware that they have done wrong, and the negative impact of such cases on society is much greater," Zhou Hanhua, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted as saying. These cases damage the image of governments and law enforcement organs, posing a grave threat to justice, Zhou said. The government is trying to reform the legal system, in which rule of law and independence of the police and judiciary are given mere lip service and courts answer to party authorities. The government has sought to curtail everything from bribery and gift-giving to lavish banquets, aiming to assuage public anger over graft and extravagance by some officials. (Reporting by Sui-Lee Wee; Editing by Ron Popeski) |
| You are subscribed to email updates from World To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan