Europe furious at US climate call
By Fiona Harvey in London, Hugh Williamson in Berlin and George Parker in Brussels
Published: June 1 2007 19:52 Last updated: June 1 2007 19:52
Germany and the European Commission reacted angrily to President George W. Bush’s apparent change of heart on climate change on Friday, setting the stage for a stormy G8 summit of rich industrialised countries next week.
A spokesman for Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor and current G8 president, said Germany’s stance that climate talks should take place within the United Nations was “non-negotiable”. Stavros Dimas, the EU environment commissioner, dismissed the proposals for climate talks as vague and “the classic US line”.
Mr Bush on Thursday appeared to suggest a parallel process to the UN, by which the world’s 15 biggest emitters of greenhouse gases would within 18 months “establish a new framework on greenhouse gases when the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012” and “set a long-term global goal on reducing emissions”.
His proposal marked a reversal of the US policy of refusing to discuss emissions cuts and rejecting a global framework such as Kyoto.
VIDEO
Fiona Harvey , environment correspondent, analyses whether Bush’s reversal on climate change offers any hope
But the plans are starkly different from the proposal tabled by Germany for next week’s G8 summit, which would require leaders to agree to prevent global temperatures rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius and require stringent emissions cuts.
Attitudes within Europe hardened on Friday as some politicians and activists accused Mr Bush of trying to wreck next week’s summit, and UN negotiations on climate change, set to take place this December.
José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, told the Financial Times Mr Bush should be “more ambitious” and said the UN must “remain the basis for setting – and achieving – binding, measurable and enforceable targets”.
Sigmar Gabriel, the German environment minister, said Mr Bush’s speech could mark a “change in the US position or a manoeuvre aimed at causing confusion”.
A comment by Mr Bush to German media that Ms Merkel “will be pleased” with his proposals, which run counter to her own, was seen as provocative.
There were signs on Friday night that Mr Bush’s proposals would split the G8, which some sceptics argue is his intention. Stephen Harper, Canada’s prime minister, welcomed the plans, as did Tony Blair, Britain’s outgoing prime minister, and Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister.
“It’s absolutely intended to split the G8,” said John Sauven, director of Greenpeace.
Mr Abe said: “I believe the United States too is finally getting serious in dealing with global warming.” Tokyo’s position is that binding targets have failed because they leave out the world’s biggest emitters, especially the US, China and India. It is championing a vaguer approach, in which the world’s biggest emitters pledge to use technology to tackle emissions.
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the chief cabinet secretary, said: “We believe Prime Minister Abe and President Bush share the same perspective and look forward to achieving significant progress.
source : www.ft.com
Saturday, June 2, 2007
SARKOZY USHERS IN ROSIER VISION OF FRANCE
By John Thornhill in Paris
Published: June 1 2007 17:44 Last updated: June 1 2007 17:44
Just two weeks after taking over as France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy is surfing an extraordinary wave of popularity and economic fortune that gives him every chance of sweeping this month’s parliamentary elections and implementing his reform programme.
An opinion poll in Les Echos newspaper on Friday showed that 62 per cent of respondents approved of his government’s economic proposals. A clear majority favoured a rapid implementation of Mr Sarkozy’s promises, including making mortgage interest payments tax deductible, forcing employees to provide minimum levels of public services during strikes, and capping an individual’s tax payments at 50 per cent of income.
Economic data released this week confirm that Mr Sarkozy has assumed power at a particularly benign time. Manufacturing output picked up in May and order books are strong, according to purchasing managers’ index data published on Friday. Consumer confidence also surged last month and the unemployment rate, which shot through 10 per cent two years ago, has now fallen back to 8.2 per cent.
Eric Chaney, Europe economist at Morgan Stanley, said it was traditional for incoming presidents to enjoy a political honeymoon, but Mr Sarkozy appeared to have transformed the mood of the country. “I take the consumer confidence indicators with a pinch of salt but there is really something new that makes me relatively positive about the process of reforms,” he said.
Françoise Fressoz, a political commentator for Les Echos newspaper, wrote that as if by magic the habitually gloomy country had assumed a far more rosy outlook following Mr Sarkozy’s election on May 6. “At all levels of society confidence is back. All that because a new man has entered the Elysée palace and promised his people that everything is possible. The miracle of Sarkomania!”
Mr Sarkozy, or “Speedy Sarko”, as he is often called, has rapidly formed a streamlined, cross-party government and opened talks with business and trade union leaders about loosening rigid labour laws. Opinion polls suggest his ruling UMP party will almost certainly retain its majority in parliament following two-round elections on June 10 and 17.
Mr Chaney said Mr Sarkozy’s tax-cutting proposals would unnecessarily boost France’s robust consumer spending in the short term and could later strain the public finances. “The economy does not need a stimulus, but there will be a fiscal stimulus,” he said.
More crucial labour market reforms, to be hammered out between the government and “social partners” before the year-end, would have a far slower economic impact. “The new labour laws will only have an incremental effect. For the stock of workers things will not change immediately. It is only for the flow – or turnover – of workers that things will change,” Mr Chaney said.
Morgan Stanley forecasts the French economy will expand by 1.9 per cent this year and 2.2 per cent in in 2008. But France is still likely to underperform within the eurozone.
source : www.ft.com
Published: June 1 2007 17:44 Last updated: June 1 2007 17:44
Just two weeks after taking over as France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy is surfing an extraordinary wave of popularity and economic fortune that gives him every chance of sweeping this month’s parliamentary elections and implementing his reform programme.
An opinion poll in Les Echos newspaper on Friday showed that 62 per cent of respondents approved of his government’s economic proposals. A clear majority favoured a rapid implementation of Mr Sarkozy’s promises, including making mortgage interest payments tax deductible, forcing employees to provide minimum levels of public services during strikes, and capping an individual’s tax payments at 50 per cent of income.
Economic data released this week confirm that Mr Sarkozy has assumed power at a particularly benign time. Manufacturing output picked up in May and order books are strong, according to purchasing managers’ index data published on Friday. Consumer confidence also surged last month and the unemployment rate, which shot through 10 per cent two years ago, has now fallen back to 8.2 per cent.
Eric Chaney, Europe economist at Morgan Stanley, said it was traditional for incoming presidents to enjoy a political honeymoon, but Mr Sarkozy appeared to have transformed the mood of the country. “I take the consumer confidence indicators with a pinch of salt but there is really something new that makes me relatively positive about the process of reforms,” he said.
Françoise Fressoz, a political commentator for Les Echos newspaper, wrote that as if by magic the habitually gloomy country had assumed a far more rosy outlook following Mr Sarkozy’s election on May 6. “At all levels of society confidence is back. All that because a new man has entered the Elysée palace and promised his people that everything is possible. The miracle of Sarkomania!”
Mr Sarkozy, or “Speedy Sarko”, as he is often called, has rapidly formed a streamlined, cross-party government and opened talks with business and trade union leaders about loosening rigid labour laws. Opinion polls suggest his ruling UMP party will almost certainly retain its majority in parliament following two-round elections on June 10 and 17.
Mr Chaney said Mr Sarkozy’s tax-cutting proposals would unnecessarily boost France’s robust consumer spending in the short term and could later strain the public finances. “The economy does not need a stimulus, but there will be a fiscal stimulus,” he said.
More crucial labour market reforms, to be hammered out between the government and “social partners” before the year-end, would have a far slower economic impact. “The new labour laws will only have an incremental effect. For the stock of workers things will not change immediately. It is only for the flow – or turnover – of workers that things will change,” Mr Chaney said.
Morgan Stanley forecasts the French economy will expand by 1.9 per cent this year and 2.2 per cent in in 2008. But France is still likely to underperform within the eurozone.
source : www.ft.com
US AND SPAIN CLASH OVER CUBA
By Leslie Crawford in Madrid
Published: June 1 2007 19:27 Last updated: June 1 2007 19:27
The US and Spain on Friday clashed over how to promote a democratic transition in Cuba, during the first official visit to Madrid by Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state.
Spain has never broken relations with its former colony, even during General Francisco Franco’s strongly anti-Communist dictatorship, and favours constructive engagement with Fidel Castro’s regime. Spanish companies have big investments in the island’s tourism and tobacco industries.
After meeting Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Spanish foreign minister, in Madrid, Ms Rice said: “I have real doubts about the value of engagement with a regime that is anti-democratic and that is trying to secure the transition of one regime to the next anti-democratic regime.”
Mr Moratinos said: “I hope that, over time, we will convince Ms Rice that our tactics can deliver results.” Earlier this week, Spanish diplomats were allowed to visit Cuban jails for the first time. Cuba and Spain agreed to establish a dialogue on human rights following a visit by Mr Moratinos to Havana in April.
Ms Rice said Cuba needed “structural change,” not a dynastic succession, and implied that Spain should be more sympathetic to the plight of Mr Castro’s political opponents.
Mr Moratinos was criticised by human rights groups for not meeting dissidents during his visit in April, but on Friday he bristled at the implication that Spain was not doing enough to promote human rights on the Caribbean island.
“We have no difficulty talking to dissidents,” he said. “The Spanish embassy in Havana is in contact with them. Our diplomats visit Cuba and talk to dissidents. We worry about them and we have even secured the release of some of them. Who has talked more to them? Who?” he asked.
Mr Moratinos said he and Ms Rice had had “frank” discussions and that they had agreed to better align tactics on the shared goal of bringing democracy to Cuba. “We will work more closely to ensure our efforts are complementary and not contradictory,” he said.
There was some agreement on Venezuela. Both Ms Rice and Mr Moratinos expressed concern at the closure of a television station in Caracas that was critical of Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan president. The two called on Mr Chávez to cease his attacks on the free press.
By Leslie Crawford in Madrid
Published: June 1 2007 19:27 Last updated: June 1 2007 19:27
The US and Spain on Friday clashed over how to promote a democratic transition in Cuba, during the first official visit to Madrid by Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state.
Spain has never broken relations with its former colony, even during General Francisco Franco’s strongly anti-Communist dictatorship, and favours constructive engagement with Fidel Castro’s regime. Spanish companies have big investments in the island’s tourism and tobacco industries.
After meeting Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Spanish foreign minister, in Madrid, Ms Rice said: “I have real doubts about the value of engagement with a regime that is anti-democratic and that is trying to secure the transition of one regime to the next anti-democratic regime.”
Mr Moratinos said: “I hope that, over time, we will convince Ms Rice that our tactics can deliver results.” Earlier this week, Spanish diplomats were allowed to visit Cuban jails for the first time. Cuba and Spain agreed to establish a dialogue on human rights following a visit by Mr Moratinos to Havana in April.
Ms Rice said Cuba needed “structural change,” not a dynastic succession, and implied that Spain should be more sympathetic to the plight of Mr Castro’s political opponents.
Mr Moratinos was criticised by human rights groups for not meeting dissidents during his visit in April, but on Friday he bristled at the implication that Spain was not doing enough to promote human rights on the Caribbean island.
“We have no difficulty talking to dissidents,” he said. “The Spanish embassy in Havana is in contact with them. Our diplomats visit Cuba and talk to dissidents. We worry about them and we have even secured the release of some of them. Who has talked more to them? Who?” he asked.
Mr Moratinos said he and Ms Rice had had “frank” discussions and that they had agreed to better align tactics on the shared goal of bringing democracy to Cuba. “We will work more closely to ensure our efforts are complementary and not contradictory,” he said.
There was some agreement on Venezuela. Both Ms Rice and Mr Moratinos expressed concern at the closure of a television station in Caracas that was critical of Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan president. The two called on Mr Chávez to cease his attacks on the free press.
source : www.ft.com
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