In the papers
Friday, July 11, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
By Katherine Spencer
Le Figaro (France)
« Le Venezuelian Chavez et le Colombien Uribe renouent le dialogue »
« Venezuela’s Chavez and Colombia’s Uribe renew dialogue »
After months of unbridled tensions, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe are due to meet at an oil refinery in Venezuela today.
The meeting – to reactivate the bilateral economic agenda – marks a breakthrough in relations between the two leaders. Dialogue between the two broke down over Chavez’s mediation attempts to free Ingrid Betancourt.
Le Figaro discusses the problems which led to a break down in relations in the first place….and how the release of Ingrid Betancourt after a daring raid by the Colombian government has changed dynamics between the two. Uribe is riding high on a wave of popularity while a humbled Chavez is battling domestic problems like crime, inflation and food shortages ahead of the country’s forthcoming elections.
El Tiempo (Colombia)
« Llego la hora de la reconciliacion entre Alvaro Uribe y Hugo Chavez »
«Time for reconciliation between Alvaro Uribe and Hugo Chavez»
Colombian newspaper El Tiempo speculates that the two leaders may be able to recreate the honeymoon period last seen between them in early 2007.
The editorial talks about Chavez’s dramatic change in stance. Just months ago he vowed never again to speak to his Colombian counterpart, branding him a liar, and now he says he will welcome Uribe like a friend and brother.
The Independent
“Brown’s African misadventure”
The Independent has a scathing front-page critique of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown following his offer of military aid to Nigeria.
The piece, headlined “Brown’s African misadventure”, says the PM's actions have led to the collapse of a ceasefire between the Nigerian government and militias as have caused the price of oil to rocket once again.
An editorial inside says that the fundamental flaw in Brown's logic is that the problem is not a military one therefore it can not be solved by military aid.
The New York Times
“McCain’s eligibility is disputed by professor”
A US professor has questioned Republican John McCain’s eligibility to run for president.
Professor Gabriel J. Chin argues that McCain is not a natural-born citizen therefore does not qualify as a presidential candidate. He was born in the Panama Canal Zone to two American parents…But the law which conferred citizenship on children of American parents born in the canal zone after 1904 didn’t come into force until 1937, a year after McCain’s birth. Chin argues that it came in too late to make McCain a natural born citizen.
But his careful analysis is unlikely to change anything for the former Vietnam veteran. McCain has dismissed suggestions he doesn’t meet the citizenship test and the Senate approved a nonbinding resolution declaring him eligible to be president in April.
The Scotsman
“Three times a lady - Carla Bruni”
The Scotsman has a profile of France’s first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who has just released a new album. The article charts her meteoric rise to fame - from her days as a supermodel to her seemingly effortless transition to singer and politician’s wife.
Journalist Jackie Hunter asks how she does it. Hunter says the first rule of success as a politician’s wife is not to take advice from Cherie Blair…whose advice Carla followed in continuing her career after marrying.
Hunter says Bruni is “a shameless mistress of reinvention; the kind of woman who stays one graceful step ahead of whatever game she chooses to play.” The article concludes that Carla really has pulled it off in a way that Cherie Blair and most other leaders’ wives could never manage….
