EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - France has unveiled plans for a post-French EU presidency financial summit, despite the Czech Republic's sensitivity over its upcoming chairmanship of the EU. The Elysee Palace on Tuesday (18 November) formally announced an "international summit" to be held in Paris on 8 January, entitled "New World: Values, Development and Regulation," continuing France's ambition to create a "new model" for capitalism in the wake of the global financial crisis. Mr Sarkozy - known for having a high-octane personality, is to chair another major international meeting The meeting is to bring together international leaders as well as intellectuals such as economist Joseph Stiglitz and philosopher Francis Fukuyama and will be co-chaired by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former British PM Tony Blair. The move comes after a G20 summit in Washington last weekend fell short of EU hopes to tighten global financial regulation. The new Paris meeting is the latest in a long line of high-powered events organised by France since it took over the EU helm in July. An EU presidency normally hosts two EU summits, but Mr Sarkozy has already added one extraordinary Georgia war summit, one special financial crisis summit, a eurozone summit and a G4 financial summit.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - France has unveiled plans for a post-French EU presidency financial summit, despite the Czech Republic's sensitivity over its upcoming chairmanship of the EU.
The Elysee Palace on Tuesday (18 November) formally announced an "international summit" to be held in Paris on 8 January, entitled "New World: Values, Development and Regulation," continuing France's ambition to create a "new model" for capitalism in the wake of the global financial crisis.
Mr Sarkozy - known for having a high-octane personality, is to chair another major international meeting
The meeting is to bring together international leaders as well as intellectuals such as economist Joseph Stiglitz and philosopher Francis Fukuyama and will be co-chaired by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former British PM Tony Blair.
The move comes after a G20 summit in Washington last weekend fell short of EU hopes to tighten global financial regulation.
The new Paris meeting is the latest in a long line of high-powered events organised by France since it took over the EU helm in July. An EU presidency normally hosts two EU summits, but Mr Sarkozy has already added one extraordinary Georgia war summit, one special financial crisis summit, a eurozone summit and a G4 financial summit.
Tony Blair is to co-host a summit on the global financial crisis with President Nicolas Sarkozy in January, in a move likely to infuriate Gordon Brown. Mr Blair's office has been in in touch with the Prime Minister to invite him to the Paris conference, but Mr Brown has so far refused to accept the invitation, with an official saying last night he was still considering his "diary commitments".Sources said that Mr Brown was "relaxed" about the event taking place.However, any attempt by Mr Blair to overshadow Mr Brown's efforts on the world stage is likely to anger Downing Street aides. He has rebuilt his political reputation by claiming to lead the world in tackling the global financial crisis - most recently with a "road map" for financial reform he presented at a G20 summit last weekend.But he may now have to contend with Mr Blair taking on a formal role in the global response to the economic crisis.The summit will come days before Barack Obama is sworn in as US President on Jan 20, and threatens to upstage a follow-up G20 summit that Mr Brown is expected to host in London in April.
Mr Blair's office has been in in touch with the Prime Minister to invite him to the Paris conference, but Mr Brown has so far refused to accept the invitation, with an official saying last night he was still considering his "diary commitments".
Sources said that Mr Brown was "relaxed" about the event taking place.
However, any attempt by Mr Blair to overshadow Mr Brown's efforts on the world stage is likely to anger Downing Street aides. He has rebuilt his political reputation by claiming to lead the world in tackling the global financial crisis - most recently with a "road map" for financial reform he presented at a G20 summit last weekend.
But he may now have to contend with Mr Blair taking on a formal role in the global response to the economic crisis.
The summit will come days before Barack Obama is sworn in as US President on Jan 20, and threatens to upstage a follow-up G20 summit that Mr Brown is expected to host in London in April.
However, any attempt by Mr Blair to overshadow Mr Brown's efforts on the world stage is likely to anger Downing Street aides.
That's interesting. The Telegraph seems to be implying that Brown and his team are merely "aides" to Blair. No wonder they're "angered". The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
WASHINGTON: President Nicolas Sarkozy of France left the summit meeting of 20 nations on the financial crisis last weekend in Washington declaring that it had changed the world. Then he went home and announced that he was holding another summit meeting in a few weeks on the same topic. Sarkozy did not tell President George W. Bush or other leaders about his plans while he was here, according to European and American officials. A senior European diplomat said that he found the whole exercise "amazing," while an American official said "amazing" was a charitable description. French officials said the Paris meeting, which is scheduled for Jan. 8 and 9 is to be co-hosted by the former British prime minister Tony Blair, was merely a conference - one intended to bring together political leaders and prominent thinkers to discuss issues like globalization and the values of capitalism.
WASHINGTON: President Nicolas Sarkozy of France left the summit meeting of 20 nations on the financial crisis last weekend in Washington declaring that it had changed the world. Then he went home and announced that he was holding another summit meeting in a few weeks on the same topic.
Sarkozy did not tell President George W. Bush or other leaders about his plans while he was here, according to European and American officials.
A senior European diplomat said that he found the whole exercise "amazing," while an American official said "amazing" was a charitable description.
French officials said the Paris meeting, which is scheduled for Jan. 8 and 9 is to be co-hosted by the former British prime minister Tony Blair, was merely a conference - one intended to bring together political leaders and prominent thinkers to discuss issues like globalization and the values of capitalism.
I'm sure the US response was laughable, but the early date means there will almost certainly be yet another conference after Obama's inauguration.
ps blair is an economic numbskull. what's he there for ? keep to the Fen Causeway
