Pyrpolizer wrote:Paphitis wrote:BTW, shame on Luxembourg.
Luxembourg has done something unprecedented and ridiculed a British PM which is extremely not on. I take my hat of to Boris for not taking any of the bait and taking the high road in this.
But let me tell you what would happen if Luxembourg did that to Pootin, or the USA President, Japan, Australia or a number of others. There would be a major incident, and their ambassador (if there is one) would get hauled in and asked for an explanation to Foreign Affairs.
Even Pootin, when he came to Australia, wasn't embarrassed or made an example of even with Russian and Australian warships playing very dangerous war-games in very close proximity off the coast and even with an entire US Battle Group joining in. He was isolated yes. No one would talk to him. But authorities tried very hard to keep things as civil as possible.
Shame on Luxembourg!
This is a very clear example that the EU is recalcitrant and that Britain can't negotiate with these criminals properly. It's time to get out.
He ridiculed himself by refusing to attend a scheduled Press conference.
https://extra.ie/2019/09/16/news/brexit ... -and-jeers
He had lunch with Junker and Xavier so their was no refusal or snubbing of the Luxembourg PM at all.
The podiums were near protesters who heckled Boris and Boris made a decision that holding a press conference there was not conducive and would have been undignified and awkward.
He was not wrong. The press conference should NOT have been held there. It should have been held inside and Boris would have attended. Imagine if Cyprus had a press conference with USA President Trump only a few meters from 100 loud protesters. What do you think would happen? Do you expect the POTUS to participate? And if you embarrass him, what do you think would happen to US/Cypriot bilateral relations?
He is not going to hold a speech in front of yelling and hysterical protest. No Head of State would do that. That is common sense.
No I am sorry but the actual embarrassment here is for Luxembourg and the EU. This can only strengthen the Brexit cause. Even Germany slammed and criticized Luxembourg saying that Luxembourg was clearly out of order and that their behavior is no reflection on EU interests which require a BREXIT deal.
Boris handled the situation 100% correctly and gained a lot of support.
Junker today also distanced himself from Xavier Bettel's behavior and today said that a NO DEAL BREXIT on the 31st of October is now palpable. He was indeed very worried and asked for restraint because the EU will still try to have a Free Trade Deal with Britain even after a NO DEAL BREXIT and that the antics in Luxembourg were not helpful to EU interests.
The embarrassment belongs to Xavier. What is wrong however was his behaviour in ridiculing the PM of another visiting country. Boris merely walked off because he is not going to hold a speech in-front of hecklers and no one should expect such stupidity.