G7 leaders divided on climate change, closer on trade issues

[rooster59]

G7 leaders divided on climate change, closer on trade issues

By John Irish and Crispian Balmer

 

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures while flanked by Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi (L) and Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou (R) at the G7 Summit expanded session in Taormina, Sicily, Italy May 27, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

TAORMINA, Italy (Reuters) - Under pressure from Group of Seven allies, U.S. President Donald Trump backed a pledge to fight protectionism on Saturday, but refused to endorse a global climate change accord, saying he needed more time to decide.

 

The summit of G7 wealthy nations pitted Trump against the leaders of Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Japan on several issues, with European diplomats frustrated at having to revisit questions they had hoped were long settled.

 

However, diplomats stressed there was broad agreement on an array of foreign policy problems, including the renewal of a threat to slap further economic sanctions on Russia if its interference in neighbouring Ukraine demanded it.

 

"We are satisfied by how things went," said Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, while acknowledging splits with Washington in some areas. "We do not disguise this division. It emerged very clearly in our conversations."

 

Trump himself hailed what he called "a tremendously productive meeting", saying he had strengthened U.S. ties with longstanding partners.

The president, who has previously called global warming a hoax, came under concerted pressure from the other leaders to honour the 2015 Paris Agreement on curbing carbon emissions.

 

Although he tweeted that he would make a decision next week, his apparent reluctance to embrace the first-ever legally binding global climate deal that was signed by 195 countries clearly annoyed German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

 

"The entire discussion about climate was very difficult, if not to say very dissatisfying," she told reporters. "There are no indications whether the United States will stay in the Paris Agreement or not."

 

Putting a positive spin on it, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was sure Trump, who he praised as "pragmatist", would back the deal having listened to his G7 counterparts.

 

"Only a few weeks ago, people thought that the United States would pull out and that no talks would be possible," said Macron, who, like Trump, was making his first G7 appearance.

 

Merkel, by contrast, was attending her 12th such gathering, and clearly believed she had overcome climate change scepticism at a 2007 summit, when she convinced the then U.S. President George W. Bush to pursue substantial cuts in greenhouse gases.

 

PROTECTIONISM

 

Disappointment over the Paris Agreement was countered by relief when Trump agreed on Saturday to language in the final G7 communique that pledged "to fight all forms of protectionism" and committed to a rules-based international trade system.

 

During his election campaign, Trump threatened unilateral tariffs on Mexican and Chinese goods and said he would quit the North American Free Trade agreement unless it was renegotiated to his liking. Earlier this week he called Germany "very bad" on trade because of its U.S. surplus.

 

In a tweet after his plane took off, Trump said he had had "great meetings on everything, especially on trade", highlighting the part of the communique which called "for the removal of all trade-distorting practices".

 

He made no mention of protectionism.

 

Meeting in a luxury hotel overlooking the Mediterranean sea, hosts Italy had hoped that the summit would focus on Europe's migration crisis and the problems of Africa.

 

The internal G7 divisions and a suicide bombing in Britain on Monday, that killed 22, overshadowed the Italian agenda, but on Saturday five African leaders joined the world leaders to discuss their continent's potential.

 

Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou urged the G7 to take urgent measures to end the crisis in Libya - the point of departure for hundreds of thousands of migrants looking for a better life in Europe. He also criticised them for not honouring aid promises to fight poverty in West Africa's poorest regions.

 

"Be it Niger, a transit nation, or the countries of origin, it is only through development that we will prevent illegal migration," Issoufou said.

 

The final communique was just six pages long, against 32 pages last year, with diplomats saying the leaders wanted a simpler document to help them reach a wider audience.

 

Security questions dominated discussions on Friday, with the leaders vowing to work harder to combat terrorism and calling on internet providers and social media firms to "substantially increase" efforts to rein in extremist content.

 

Speaking to U.S. servicemen and women at the end of the summit, Trump promised to defeat terrorism and said he had made "extraordinary gains to advance security".

 

The speech was the last engagement of his first foreign tour since taking office - a trip that took him to Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Rome, Brussels and Sicily.

 

"I think we hit a home run no matter where we are," Trump said, before boarding his plane back to Washington.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-28

[mtls2005]

 

[darksidedog]

Funny isn't it, that Donald thinks the meeting was a success, but every other participant doesn't. In fact they are calling the failure to reach consensus his fault.

It's scary how can one man be so out of touch with everyone else and not realise it.

 

[mtls2005]

Sounds like he lost his "stamina"? 700 meters is such a long, long way.

 

In other news, Melania wore a $50,000 jacket and was praised for her fashion sense, while Michelle Obama was castigated for wearing a $3,000 dress in similar circumstances. Go figure.

 

 

Trump Was So Tired That He Had To Ride In A Golf Cart While Other G7 Leaders Walked

 

The Times (UK) confirmed the golf cart episode, “The distance between Donald Trump and his G7 partners was spelled out dramatically today when Theresa May and the leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Canada strolled the streets of Taormina, Sicily — while he followed in a golf cart.”

 

The rest of the world was walking strong and united together, while the tired old United States was puttering along behind in a golf cart. This is the perfect metaphor for what Donald Trump has done to the US image of strength and vitality around the world.

 

 

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/05/27/trump-tired-ride-golf-cart-foreign-leaders-walked.html

 

 

Edited May 28, 2017 by metisdead
Edited as per fair use policy.

[Prbkk]

How does Italy get a seat at the table? Effectively broke, hardly worthy a a leadership role in determining international trade policies. 

[elgordo38]

44 minutes ago, Prbkk said:

How does Italy get a seat at the table? Effectively broke, hardly worthy a a leadership role in determining international trade policies. 

As long as a country can endlessly print money today who is broke anymore?

[howbri]

5 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Sounds like he lost his "stamina"? 700 meters is such a long, long way.

 

In other news, Melania wore a $50,000 jacket and was praised for her fashion sense, while Michelle Obama was castigated for wearing a $3,000 dress in similar circumstances. Go figure.

 

 

Trump Was So Tired That He Had To Ride In A Golf Cart While Other G7 Leaders Walked

 

The Times (UK) confirmed the golf cart episode, “The distance between Donald Trump and his G7 partners was spelled out dramatically today when Theresa May and the leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Canada strolled the streets of Taormina, Sicily — while he followed in a golf cart.”

 

The rest of the world was walking strong and united together, while the tired old United States was puttering along behind in a golf cart. This is the perfect metaphor for what Donald Trump has done to the US image of strength and vitality around the world.

 

 

 

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/05/27/trump-tired-ride-golf-cart-foreign-leaders-walked.html

 

 

The others didn't travel tens of thousands of miles before they got there. Trump is in as good shape as any of them.

[howbri]

ID: 1  Posted just now · Report post

  1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Sounds like he lost his "stamina"? 700 meters is such a long, long way.

 

In other news, Melania wore a $50,000 jacket and was praised for her fashion sense, while Michelle Obama was castigated for wearing a $3,000 dress in similar circumstances. Go figure.

 

 

Trump Was So Tired That He Had To Ride In A Golf Cart While Other G7 Leaders Walked

 

The Times (UK) confirmed the golf cart episode, “The distance between Donald Trump and his G7 partners was spelled out dramatically today when Theresa May and the leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Canada strolled the streets of Taormina, Sicily — while he followed in a golf cart.”

 

The rest of the world was walking strong and united together, while the tired old United States was puttering along behind in a golf cart. This is the perfect metaphor for what Donald Trump has done to the US image of strength and vitality around the world.

 

 

 

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/05/27/trump-tired-ride-golf-cart-foreign-leaders-walked.html

 

 

The others didn't travel tens of thousands of miles before they got there. Trump is in as good shape as any of them.

[thaibeachlovers]

clearly annoyed German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

That's an excellent reason to opt out right there.

Seriously, I'll be very disappointed if Trump folds on this sham. It's an agreement that will not solve climate change, but will probably cost all us little people a lot.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, howbri said:

The others didn't travel tens of thousands of miles before they got there. Trump is in as good shape as any of them.

B.S. He flew in from Belgium, dude. Has been abroad over a week. 

Remember how he viciously attacked Hillary for her lack of stamina?

Karma bites. 

BTW, he is not in good shape. 

The man is clearly quite obese. 

He doesn't exercise at all and he eats poorly. 

No, being super fit isn't necessarily needed to be president. But he's clearly the opposite in an extreme way, plus it's clear that his brain is badly deteriorating based on the history of his speech patterns. He used to be articulate but now he speaks in word salad (if not a written speech by others). 

Not fit to be president in so MANY ways.

Truly embarrassing for Americans and dangerous for the planet. 

 

Edited May 28, 2017 by Jingthing

[iReason]

2 hours ago, howbri said:

Trump is in as good shape as any of them.

 

Edited May 28, 2017 by iReason

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

 

In other news, Melania wore a $50,000 jacket and was praised for her fashion sense, while Michelle Obama was castigated for wearing a $3,000 dress in similar circumstances. Go figure.

 

 

 

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on how much Mrs. Trump, a former model and the wife of an independently wealthy president, paid for the jacket. The U.S. government does not provide first ladies with a wardrobe allowance — though attire for official events of public or historic significance may be given as a gift by a designer and accepted on behalf of the U.S. government.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/27/melania-trumps-pricey-jacket-draws-attention-in-sicily.html

 

Seems that people should have better things to complain about. No cost to the taxpayer, so who cares.

[metisdead]

Troll posts have been removed. 

[Caps]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

B.S. He flew in from Belgium, dude. Has been abroad over a week. 

Remember how he viciously attacked Hillary for her lack of stamina?

Karma bites. 

BTW, he is not in good shape. 

The man is clearly quite obese. 

He doesn't exercise at all and he eats poorly. 

No, being super fit isn't necessarily needed to be president. But he's clearly the opposite in an extreme way, plus it's clear that his brain is badly deteriorating based on the history of his speech patterns. He used to be articulate but now he speaks in word salad (if not a written speech by others). 

Not fit to be president in so MANY ways.

Truly embarrassing for Americans and dangerous for the planet. 

 

Wow...that could be shortened to Overweight Muppet 

[Basil B]

The only way there could be any agreement would be to make it a G6 meeting and exclude America.

 

There will be no agreements with that bombastic baboon in the room...  

[sujoop]

Goes to Saudis, delivers weapons deal and with no 'pesky' human rights strings ala Obama, smiles all 'round. Goes to Israel, all hearts n rainbows, no mention of settlements etc, again, happy happy.

 

Goes to our allies, shoves his way to front of podium, raises hell over Nato payments, refuses to agree to climate accord (likely to base his decision mostly on how our allied leaders who he was rude to reacts to him in the press...)

 

To Trump supporters (and the guy at the end of the bar types) - a great President and a great trip. To the rest and vast majority, just another mostly embarrassing and often cringe-worthy Trump outing.

 

 

Edited May 28, 2017 by sujoop

[Credo]

7 hours ago, howbri said:

ID: 1  Posted just now · Report post

  1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Sounds like he lost his "stamina"? 700 meters is such a long, long way.

 

In other news, Melania wore a $50,000 jacket and was praised for her fashion sense, while Michelle Obama was castigated for wearing a $3,000 dress in similar circumstances. Go figure.

 

 

Trump Was So Tired That He Had To Ride In A Golf Cart While Other G7 Leaders Walked

 

The Times (UK) confirmed the golf cart episode, “The distance between Donald Trump and his G7 partners was spelled out dramatically today when Theresa May and the leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Japan and Canada strolled the streets of Taormina, Sicily — while he followed in a golf cart.”

 

The rest of the world was walking strong and united together, while the tired old United States was puttering along behind in a golf cart. This is the perfect metaphor for what Donald Trump has done to the US image of strength and vitality around the world.

 

 

 

http://www.politicususa.com/2017/05/27/trump-tired-ride-golf-cart-foreign-leaders-walked.html

 

 

The others didn't travel tens of thousands of miles before they got there. Trump is in as good shape as any of them.

So, Japan and Canada aren't thousands of miles away?

[louse1953]

9 hours ago, Prbkk said:

How does Italy get a seat at the table? Effectively broke, hardly worthy a a leadership role in determining international trade policies. 

Same as the US,the only thing they got is gunboat dipmlomacy

[iReason]

23 minutes ago, Credo said:

So, Japan and Canada aren't thousands of miles away?

 

And the buffoon occupying the White House only had to fly in from Belgium...

[boomerangutang]

7 hours ago, howbri said:

The others didn't travel tens of thousands of miles before they got there. Trump is in as good shape as any of them.

He looks obese to me.  Plus, he's been getting surgery (and who knows what else) for decades to try and not look senile.

 

from the OP:  "Earlier this week he called Germany "very bad" on trade..."

                 There he goes again:  casting aspersions on Germans, who (from any reasonable person's perspective) have long been one of the America's strongest allies.  

 

                          He wouldn't shake Merkel's hand when she visited the US recently.  He looked troubled and frowned the whole time she was in town.  In sharp contrast, he has two top Russian agents and their press corps (but no American press corps) invited into the Oval Office, and they're all smiling like schoolboys, while the three are slapping each other on the backs, and giggling at how they gobsmacked Americans with the election swindle.   

 

[iReason]

Angela Merkel says Germany can no longer rely on Donald Trump's America:

'We Europeans must take our destiny into our own hands'

 

"The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has suggested her country and Europe can no longer rely on the US under Donald Trump."

 

"Speaking at a campaign event in Bavaria, she emphasised the need for friendly relations with the US, Britain and Russia, but added: "We Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands." 

 

"She said that "the times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days."

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/angela-merkel-donald-trump-germany-us-no-longer-rely-european-union-climate-change-g7-a7760486.html

 

Meanwhile, the ignorant occupier of the White House is back with his incessant "next week" spiel.

I've lost count how many times he has said that.

And many times, that's the last we hear of the subject...

 

 

Edited May 28, 2017 by iReason

[geriatrickid]

Donald Trump is there to represent the interests of the USA. Sometimes those interests converge with the rest of the world and sometimes they do not. Understand that and you will be able to cope with  the US foreign policy  over the next 4 years.  It's not as if the other G7 participants are putting US interests ahead of their own  countries' is it?

 

To those  pointing their fingers, keep in mind that;

- The USA did not initiate the Libyan war; It was Italy and France supported by the UK.

- The USA was reluctant to intervene in Syria despite the war cries of  McCain, Graham and others. The EU pushed the intervention along with Turkey. 

- Before the USA sold those weapons to Saudi Arabia, Canada had  closed a US$15 billion arms sale to the Saudis and became the 2nd largest military weapons exporter to the middle east. Yes, Canada the country which claims to promote world peace. The authorization of the arms sales to the Saudis  came under the left leaning admin of  PM Trudeau who waived  human rights requirements.  The UK  is also one of the largest exporters of arms to the Saudis. It is hypocritical to lambaste trump without mention of the  hypocrisy of Canada, the UK and even Australia who  have all been selling arms, no strings attached.

- The USA was not the one busting the UN sanctions on the Iraqi oil. It was those beacons of freedom; India,  South Korea and other Asian countries aided and abetted by Singapore, Turkey and European agents. It's Luxembourg and Belgium entities and agents implicated in the money laundering of the worst offenders of the North African and African corrupt governments and who helped channel money to Iran, but it's the USA that  took action to stop it. It's not the USA that cause the Libor rigging crisis, but banks in the UK, Switzerland and Germany.

- It was not the USA dependent upon Libyan oil, but Italy.

- It's not the USA subject to the  flood of economic migrants flowing in from North Africa and Turkey aided and abetted by the western nations themselves.

 

 

I am no fan of  Trump and believe his stance on the Paris accord is wrong. I also believe  he is wrong on his attempt to strong arm and bully everyone. However, that is what  his mandate is. He was elected on that platform. Tens of millions of Americans voted for him on that basis. If you are unhappy; then don't buy US products, don't travel to the USA and make your views known to your own government.  The man is given to dog whistle politics, I know, but so too are the other participants of the G7. It's just that their dog whistle agenda agrees with your views.  I will be delighted when  someone decent is elected President of the USA, but until that time, it's time to adopt  block and defense politics and wait it out until the US mid term elections when the GOP is removed from a majority position and Trump's wings are clipped for good.

 

 

[Stargeezr]

I loved the hand shake moment between Trump and the Frech leader, it looked like Trump was surprised that he did not win the shake contest. 555. Will he even last his 4 years, that will be a surprise to me if he does not get impeached for something soon.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, iReason said:

Angela Merkel says Germany can no longer rely on Donald Trump's America:

'We Europeans must take our destiny into our own hands'

 

"The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has suggested her country and Europe can no longer rely on the US under Donald Trump."

 

"Speaking at a campaign event in Bavaria, she emphasised the need for friendly relations with the US, Britain and Russia, but added: "We Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands." 

 

"She said that "the times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days."

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/angela-merkel-donald-trump-germany-us-no-longer-rely-european-union-climate-change-g7-a7760486.html

 

Meanwhile, the ignorant occupier of the White House is back with his incessant "next week" spiel.

I've lost count how many times he has said that.

And many times, that's the last we hear of the subject...

 

 

About time. They've been sucking off the American teat long enough. Time to stand on their own and pay their own way.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

Donald Trump is there to represent the interests of the USA. Sometimes those interests converge with the rest of the world and sometimes they do not. Understand that and you will be able to cope with  the US foreign policy  over the next 4 years.  It's not as if the other G7 participants are putting US interests ahead of their own  countries' is it?

 

To those  pointing their fingers, keep in mind that;

- The USA did not initiate the Libyan war; It was Italy and France supported by the UK.

- The USA was reluctant to intervene in Syria despite the war cries of  McCain, Graham and others. The EU pushed the intervention along with Turkey. 

- Before the USA sold those weapons to Saudi Arabia, Canada had  closed a US$15 billion arms sale to the Saudis and became the 2nd largest military weapons exporter to the middle east. Yes, Canada the country which claims to promote world peace. The authorization of the arms sales to the Saudis  came under the left leaning admin of  PM Trudeau who waived  human rights requirements.  The UK  is also one of the largest exporters of arms to the Saudis. It is hypocritical to lambaste trump without mention of the  hypocrisy of Canada, the UK and even Australia who  have all been selling arms, no strings attached.

- The USA was not the one busting the UN sanctions on the Iraqi oil. It was those beacons of freedom; India,  South Korea and other Asian countries aided and abetted by Singapore, Turkey and European agents. It's Luxembourg and Belgium entities and agents implicated in the money laundering of the worst offenders of the North African and African corrupt governments and who helped channel money to Iran, but it's the USA that  took action to stop it. It's not the USA that cause the Libor rigging crisis, but banks in the UK, Switzerland and Germany.

- It was not the USA dependent upon Libyan oil, but Italy.

- It's not the USA subject to the  flood of economic migrants flowing in from North Africa and Turkey aided and abetted by the western nations themselves.

 

 

I am no fan of  Trump and believe his stance on the Paris accord is wrong. I also believe  he is wrong on his attempt to strong arm and bully everyone. However, that is what  his mandate is. He was elected on that platform. Tens of millions of Americans voted for him on that basis. If you are unhappy; then don't buy US products, don't travel to the USA and make your views known to your own government.  The man is given to dog whistle politics, I know, but so too are the other participants of the G7. It's just that their dog whistle agenda agrees with your views.  I will be delighted when  someone decent is elected President of the USA, but until that time, it's time to adopt  block and defense politics and wait it out until the US mid term elections when the GOP is removed from a majority position and Trump's wings are clipped for good.

 

 

A voice of reason among the whining posts hating Trump.

While I disagree that Trump will lose in 2020, or the GOP will lose a majority in 2018, Trump was indeed elected to put America first.

If he fails because he faced too much opposition just for the sake of opposing, the Trump haters will be happy, even if America fails as well.

[Scott]

Troll post remove. 

[iReason]

30 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If he fails because he faced too much opposition just for the sake of opposing, the Trump haters will be happy, even if America fails as well.

 

America was fine.

 

Until they ended up with a dismal, embarrassing, pathetic failure of a president.

 

No worries, when he and his cronies go down, it will make Nixon look like a choir boy.