A friendly handshake was not a formal gesture only for journalists. It seems that the atmosphere discharged, and all included in your rut. While on the streets opponents of the G20 broke Windows and torched cars as if the shop owners and drivers are the most notorious capitalists of all the capitalists and take personal responsibility for the summit, the atmosphere at the talks has eased somewhat.
— Parlamentní listy: How do You assess the first meeting between Donald trump with Vladimir Putin?
— Milan Sirucek: the First thing that comes to my mind: that everything was arranged as if Donald trump took Vladimir Putin. However, actually it has always been at the bilateral talks between the leaders of the two countries. The exception was the meeting of Roosevelt and Stalin in Tehran. There for security reasons, Roosevelt lived in the Soviet Embassy. However, let’s remember: for the first time after the war, Khrushchev met with President Eisenhower on American soil, although officially arrived at the meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations. During the first meeting of Mikhail Gorbachev with Ronald Reagan — even if it was held in a neutral (Swiss) area — formal was hosted by the President of the United States. From a formal point of view we can assume that the one who first welcomes the counterpart, more interested in meeting. However, the basis is always mutual interest to jointly address certain problems.
So it was in Hamburg, where the two leaders met at the so-called neutral territory. However, the talks were held in a room of the American delegation, that is, within the United States. In the same spirit events unfolded on the sidelines of this historic meeting, starting with the first handshake. And considering the campaign waged in the United States in connection with alleged Russian interference in the American presidential election, it was clear that the first friendly gesture must make trump. In the end, it obliges the rules of etiquette, after all, trump the older.
Another detail, which had, as far as I know, from the sphere of our attention: all participants on the lapels were the badges of the conference. They were shown the silhouette of Soviet submarine B-515, which sunk off the German coast. The Germans picked it up and turned into a Museum. The icon is the inscription: “the G20 Hamburg Germany 2017”.
— What do You know about this meeting, he does not know our public, for example, about the atmosphere that prevailed there?
— Vladimir Putin arrived in Hamburg at night. Before departing, he met with the Chairman of the Commission on emergency situations Vladimir Puchkov (as in the original article — ed. ed.). It is a pity that Putin did not take him along because he could help the Hamburg police. But probably more important was that similar unrest erupted in the Russian capital.
Press Secretary to the President (Putin) Dmitry Peskov said about the Hamburg demonstrators that “they have no effect on our work, and everything goes according to plan.” But it was a cunning trick. Putin took part, according to the plan, in the meeting of the BRIC group (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and from there went to a meeting of the G20, which is also going according to the original plan. However, something still broke. Welcoming, Putin shook hands with Angela Merkel and her something whispered, and she laughed and even clapped his hands. Then at the table in the foyer Putin shook hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and European Commission President Donald Tusk. At this point, Putin just came just entered Donald trump. Their handshake was unplanned, and it is not surprising that most journalists didn’t notice it.
But the main meeting, a pre-planned, only had. She was waiting for a long time, and some skeptics argued that it would not happen. Finally the meeting was held in a room provided by the American delegation. That is, Putin was in the tramp house, and he took over the coordination of the journalists. At first, when journalists were allowed into the room, both sat in chairs and were silent. Trump then thanked the journalists for what they came for, and that meant it was time to leave. But the journalists resisted and began to demand from the leaders of the handshake. Again, the first trump leaned over to Putin and gave him her hand. He did it in his style — a hand up, but not attracted to his partner, as has happened commonly to demonstrate his superiority. That handshake was waiting for the whole world.
I describe all this in such detail primarily because the details can be judged on the nature of the meeting. What they said at the same time, was quoted and us. Before leaving, they again shook hands, making this not only for cameras. Indeed, we noted this detail: in a few minutes, they shook hands three times. This was not a casual courtesy.
I remember before the first meeting of Reagan with Gorbachev in Geneva, American advisers taught their President what distance to stand, how to tilt your head, how much to squeeze. The language of diplomacy is not just words. Gestures should Express what word exactly to Express the impossible. Over the years working as a journalist, learn to perceive such details, especially when you know how they prepare and what they should mean.
In this case it is possible to assume that the conversation will last longer than the planned 35 minutes and will go beyond simple exchange of pleasantries. However, few people imagined that it will be delayed for two hours fifteen minutes. This confirms a wide range and depth of issues that were discussed, even to the discussion to allow time for translation. The President was not headphones and translators (Russian — English and American — Russian) translate them sentence by sentence. Again, this is not just a technical point. What were the conversation was to hear only the foreign Ministers and two interpreters, bound by the obligation to disclose. Simultaneous translation was not given such an opportunity. See how every detail is important?
After meeting on their progress, told reporters the two Ministers. But even before that (while the presidents met) spoke to journalists the Minister of economy of the Russian Federation Maxim Oreshkin, referring to a small dispute between the presidents at the plenary session of the twenty about fairness in trade. Trump argued that it is, then, as Putin said, what kind of justice is it if there are sanctions?
After this meeting, when the rest of 18 members excused trump and Putin for what they are all detained journalists were addressed by the Minister of foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. He described the conversation as constructive and useful. Where Russia and the US have common interests, we need to work together. So, for example, Washington will appoint a special envoy for Ukraine. The United States and Russia will create a channel of communication and will work together to encourage Kiev to fulfill the Minsk agreements. In Syria will create a no-fly zone, and in parts of the country will be declared a truce. Finally, countries included in the solution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. I repeat the words of Lavrov, because in our media I have not heard them detailed paraphrase. Lavrov added that they also spoke about cyber attacks and interference in U.S. elections. According to him, Putin assured trump that Moscow did not intervene in American elections. If you go into the details, you will notice: Lavrov are talking about Moscow, i.e. the Kremlin. So, not all Russian citizens…
I don’t want to play with words. But what else you can quote, if not words? Although they are not quite accurate. I remember Sergo Beria once told me why Stalin took him to Tehran for the first meeting of the Big three during world war II. At the Soviet Embassy, where then lived Roosevelt, of course, all auditioned. Somehow there came Winston Churchill to visit the American President and consult. The wiretap recorded the conversation. Translators have translated to Stalin, exactly. And he demanded that Beria’s son, who owned the English language to describe the tone of what was said a particular word, seriously or ironically, stressed or not. And the fact that sometimes it is more important than just the literal translation.
In the end, I would like something else to note. Despite its seriousness, Putin did not lose his sense of humor. It was manifested, for example, at a bilateral meeting with the President of France Emmanuel Macron. They met when Putin visited Versailles. So now the tone of their conversation was casual. Macron apologized for the delay: “We could not agree on the climate…” — and sat down in the chair, tried to discreetly pull up his socks. But Putin saw this and said, “I Hope that now the climate will be better.” Then he seriously added that the Russian Federation supports the Paris Protocol, although, “frankly speaking, the causes of climate change scientists have not yet explained”. I cite this episode as a curiosity, because generally those moments at these meetings happen a lot. But perhaps they are more interested in tabloid publications.
— How would You comment on the summit in Hamburg, in terms of evaluation in foreign media?
— Honestly, for such a review of estimates too early. Now dominated by news content. But already in the first comments clearly, the conference, in particular the meeting of Russian and American leaders were perceived positively and, most importantly, relief. As Putin said during the second handshake (and first official), the more acute the problem, the is preferable to discuss them eye to eye. And almost all pressing issues: Ukraine, Syria, terrorists, nuclear weapons in the DPRK was at least the ways of their joint decision. Was it possible to expect more?
— From cities of the Hanseatic League, Hamburg has become a closed city with thousands of protesters inside. Why such meetings are not preferred some island or Peninsula?
— First of all because the summit gives a lot of opportunities, and Hamburg, the conference of the G20 allowed to use them. Hence the choice of location. As for your proposal to hold talks on the island, in my house the library is the “Atlas of remote Islands” and Atlas “of the Island, where I crashed”. I looked at them to answer this question. The second Atlas I removed as soon as reading about the seventh island, I learned that there waving the German flag. Castaway the last effort to swim to the shores of this island, and then she heard someone shout, “Hey, don’t you know how to read? Swimming strictly forbidden here!”
In the first Atlas, my attention was drawn to the two Islands. The first is located in the Kara sea of the Arctic ocean and is called acute Intimacy. It was built the research station, but during the Second world war, the German submarine destroyed it, along with scientists a few grenades. During the cold war, the Soviet Union built the largest polar station, but now there is no one there: there were only walls with palm tree Wallpaper and a portrait of Lenin with beard, hanging in the middle. And on the table — the journal, the last entry which States that “the water was drained, the diesel generators stopped and the station…” — the last word is difficult to read. I noticed another island — the island of ascension, where there is the antenna and radar dish, which auditioned continents and even the entire universe. NASA built a tracking station Intercontinental missiles. In 1960 from Florida the rocket was launched Atlas, and it made its way from the shores of this island. There was a deafening explosion, and then silence. Until finally an American said on the radio: “We, Russian, still to show you!” So it was on this island started the space race…
All this is interesting — that you, of course, acknowledge but little use for any negotiations. Except that the world community will decide to land on one of the deserted Islands of trump and Putin, that they’re with each other agreed and told the world about it white smoke, as do the cardinals, having elected in the Sistine chapel a new Pope. However, I’m not sure that Putin and trump would agree to that.
Now seriously about the Hamburg demonstrations: I don’t understand why to demonstrate their protest against globalization need to burn cars and break the Windows of shops that belong to people who do not have any relation to the conference, much more to discuss there topics. I witnessed several demonstrations. Youth they defended the truly important things. For example, in 1968, students in Paris were protesting against the regime of personal power. In America, there were demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. In Paris, the students removed cobblestones to build barricades to protect themselves from the police, who attacked them from a water cannon and beaten with batons.
But no one set fire to cars and beat showcases. In America, the youth burned high on the agenda in a military registration and enlistment office. During a demonstration in Wenceslas square was broken by the one and only showcase the Aeroflot office. It was later revealed that this was a planned provocation. But why would you want to destroy Hamburg to protest against the fact that globalization exists at all (even without the assistance of those gathered at the summit and rather wants to ask her direction)?
— Why President trump has decided to make its second overseas tour in Warsaw and took part in the meeting of leaders of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe?
— I think that the fact he had several reasons. First, it was a gesture to Poland, perhaps the only country that meets its obligations to NATO, if we compare not only with the new members of NATO from Central Europe, and even some longtime members. Second, Poland has authorized the deployment of American troops on its territory. Thirdly, Poland expects the large supply of arms from the U.S. and new U.S. investment. Fourth, trump was convinced that the poles would welcome him with open arms, and there will be no demonstrations against him. And so it went. Fifth, the Trump impressed the Polish approach to the management of the country. And Sixthly, Trump was interesting to talk with the leaders of 12 countries participating in the so-called “Initiative of the three seas”, which includes the States located between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black seas. And this is a quarter of the territory of the European Union with 20% of its population. Apart from Austria, have joined the initiative and new EU members. They create a sort of barrier from the Baltic to the Adriatic against the imaginary “threat from the East”. By the way, a large part of his speech, trump is dedicated to this threat.
The initiative was created at the suggestion of Poland and Croatia, however, the main initiators were the poles, who see in this Union a kind of counterweight to Germany and Russia, as well as some in Brussels. While the initiative is addressed mainly economic and logistical questions, however, participating countries are close to a common political position.
In the future it will be more to divide Europe than to unite it. Especially considering that for many years there Visegrad four, and the “Initiative of the three seas” is, in fact, its enlarged counterpart. Due to the involvement of trump in the Warsaw meeting before the summit in Hamburg, the poles managed to secure himself in a relationship with the American President a special position (if you consider the fact that he agreed to a private meeting with the President of Poland). During the conversation it was about the fate of thousands of poles who live and work in the United States, and how to undo them visas.
— Why the President Zeman did not participate in the Warsaw meeting?
— We know that our Republic was represented there by Chairman of the chamber of deputies Hamachek. That is, neither the President nor the Prime Minister did not introduce us, because, apparently, the Czech Republic does not give this Union a special value. Not to send a representative to Warsaw we couldn’t, because then I would not know what was happening on the sidelines, unable to influence decisions. Nevertheless, such a combination in Europe for us is not so important. First, it combined too heterogeneous States that have little in common. Second, the initiative poses a threat to European unity, and hence the common policy of the European Union. Not convinced by the objection of Poland that Europe stratified, because integration is multi-level and does not depend on geography, but also partly because the “old” EU members rush forward. The role played by the duration of membership.
Of course, the argument about a long-planned vacation Zeman is not convincing. Politicians don’t plan for long, and even more vacation. In addition to the reasons which I have already said, the role played by the disappointment of Zeman. Despite all the promises, that during April he was invited to the White house, because he was one of the few European politicians who supported Donald trump during his campaign, the invitation never arrived. But our Ambassador in Washington Hynek kmoníček made all possible efforts.
Probably, its role here has played and what we pledged to increase our contributions to NATO by 2020 is only 1.4%, although it has long have to pay two percent of GDP. Other “sinners” they want to hold on to two percent by 2020. And we postpone that commitment has not less than five years. In fact, over this obligation deduct only Greece, Britain and Estonia. Poland keeps at level of two percent. Trump this obligation is especially important because the United States has to pay extra for us (they deduct 3.5 percent), which is contrary to the core principle. The entrance to the White house we have to pay, but we have no money.
