Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom blogs at HuffPo about Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s meeting today with the leaders of Burma, and the need for urgent and sustained engagement with the regime to foster societal change. Don’t play your cards so quickly Mr. Brown, the public diplomacy game in the US and elsewhere should not tie Mr. Ban’s hands in this negotiation process any more than needed. Mr. Ban is an adept behind the scenes enabler, when prodded appropriately.
An invitation proffered. President Bashar Assad of Syria in a Sky News interview:
“We would like to welcome him (Obama) in Syria, definitely. I am very clear about this,” Assad said in English. Asked whether such a visit could take place soon, Assad said: “That depends on him.”
He added with a smile, “I will ask you to convey the invitation to him.”
Along side the invite, Assad also praised Obama’s efforts at outreach and dialogue to Muslims. The First Lady, Asma Al Assad elaborates on a possible alliance of ‘youngsters’:
“The fact is President Obama is young,” al Assad said, “and President Assad is also very young as well, so maybe it is time for these young leaders to make a difference in the world.”
Great post!