Are the French glad that the Rebate was put on the table? At all surprised that Blair didn't just give in? Surprised that Chirac was unwilling to compromise? Is there really a consensus that Blair should just yield a bit of the Rebate without any concessions in return?
To me it didn't seem like diplomacy but an attempt at showmanship. So far as I can tell, Blair won on the exchange, but may be forced to pay for it when he tries to put forward his agenda as EU president now that he has to deal with the budget as well. Blair offered a compromise and immediately France and Germany joined together and declared it unworthy of consideration. The only international crime is losing a war
The focus has now switched back to domestic issues - and the heat wave. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
