Insider notes from United Press International for Nov. 28
While the Afghan factions wrangle over their future in Bonn, the grown-up powers have been having their own secret spats behind the scenes. Back in October, the United States asked Japan to join it as co-chair of a Nov. 20 meeting of potential post-war aid donors in Washington to map out Afghan reconstruction. Members of the 15-nation European Union were furious when they found out, suspecting an American bid to control the funds that would define the Afghan future. The EU, which had begun preparing their own donors' conference, insisted that any such meeting should be held in New York under U.N. auspices. When the United States objected, the Europeans arranged a competing meeting of the 15 EU foreign ministers in Brussels, forcing the donors' session to be downgraded to the level of senior officials. The EU then rounded up the Saudis, and insisted that the EU and Riyadh join Japan and the United States as co-chairs, and also brought in India, China and (at British insistence) Australia. All is now smoothed over, except in Tokyo, where the government's financial crisis was going to impose a 10 percent cut in Japan's generous foreign aid budget. Now they are facing a 10 percent increase to cope with Tokyo's new responsibilities. Life's tough in the big leagues.
Rainbow Warrior II, the ship belonging to the Greenpeace environmental campaign, is having to buy its own fuel again. After long negotiations while the Qatari authorities tried to keep out potentially troublesome protesters, it finally moored in the Persian Gulf port of Doha throughout this month's World Trade Organization summit. Among the various dignitaries seizing the chance of a seaborne photo op was Qatar's trade minister, and two unidentified young women swathed in chadors. It turned out they were daughters of the ruling Emir, and closet greenies. Rainbow Warrior was sent off with bulging fuel tanks -- "a gift from the people of Qatar." Or at least two of them.
A very hard-line new Israeli Ambassador, Dore Gold, will soon be heading for Washington after the dovish Foreign Minister Shimon Peres finally gave in and agreed with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's demand that Israel needed "a propaganda expert" in the United States. Gold, formerly foreign affairs adviser to previous prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will replace David Ivry, who was reckoned lackluster in his dealings with the U.S. media and Jewish organizations. Gold, who built up a wide range of American contacts during his time as Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, has made a series of discreet visits to Washington and New York in recent weeks as a private Sharon envoy.
A new industry is being born in Italy as a result of the coming of the new euro currency: strengthening trouser pockets to cope with the sudden flood of coins. One new euro is worth 90 U.S. cents or 1800 Italian lire, which meant Italians regularly carry notes worth as little as an American quarter. Not any more, and Gucci and Armani in Milan are now offering reinforced trousers in their new lines. "The pockets will be more strong and resistant," promises Giancarlo Del Bufalo, head of Italy's euro committee. Smaller tailors are offering to sew reinforcements into existing trousers. Gucci has also launched a new range of wallets and purses to cope with the new and larger banknotes. They are selling like hot cakes north of the Alps, where Germans have noted that the new euro notes are 8 millimeters wider than their trusty old D-Marks.
That fun-loving Japanese foreign minister Makiko Tanaka is up to her endearing tricks again in her ongoing war with her staff. This time she has frozen all personnel moves in her ministry, leaving 82 diplomats in limbo. There were 14 poised to fly out from Tokyo to Japanese Embassies, and another 30 from overseas due to head home, and 11 who got home but now have no new jobs. The foreign ministry is leaking various heart-tending tales of Tanaka's victims to the press: one can't fly his wife home for heart treatment; another can't return to put his sick mother into a Tokyo nursing home; some more are going broke living in hotels after they sub-let their homes to go abroad. All this is because the prime minister won't let Tanaka sack the head of the diplomatic personnel department, Akitaka Saiki, whom she blames for keeping her out of the emperor's Nov. 1 garden party. She says he deliberately delayed forwarding her invitation. He says she's never in the office so he couldn't find her.
