I'm curious how many of my overseas readers heard that the APEC forum was held in Australia this week? My cursory look at various overseas news sites didn't seem to find much.
It was a meeting of 21 leaders from countries that border on the Pacific Ocean.
So we had the Presidents of America, China and Russia; the Prime Ministers of Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Plus sundry other leaders from Peru to the Philippines.
I'm not too sure at what other venues such a body of leaders are brought together. The UN tends to attract foreign ministers and such diplomatic bods. Certainly the opportunity to get them to discuss matters of substance face-to-face is one that should be made the most of. I'm not sure it was.
It has become something of a tradition that there is a 'dress-up' group photo. This is the one for this APEC, with all the leaders in Australian stockmen's coats. A bit drab.
...
They look like they're in a musical... singing "So long, farewell.."
ReplyDeleteCan we actually move around the city now?! (Large security fences everywhere...)
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I thought of I am the Walrus...but I think I like it better with them being singing Austrian children.
ReplyDeleteG4? G13? G20? All the Gs.
ReplyDeleteHow come 20 world leaders are at one, waving with their right hand, and one lonely guy from Texas is kinda, sorta, maybe using his left?
From all I've read and heard, it didn't rate much of a mention overseas at all...except for the Chasers' escapades.
ReplyDeleteOur PM is next to yours..on his right.
ReplyDeleteI hear that Bush excelled himself by calling Australia "Austria", APEC "OPEC" and walked off in the wrong direction off the stage (he's done that before - it's very worrying1)
ReplyDeleteIs that really waving or a worrying type of " Salute" ?
ReplyDelete