Diplomacy, lack of – Moon of Alabama

June 10, 2008

Diplomacy, lack of

1 : the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations

2 : skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility : tact

diplomacy, lack of

"We hope that Koreans will begin to learn more about the science and about the facts of American beef and that this issue can be addressed constructively," [U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander] Vershbow said.

Posted by b on June 10, 2008 at 14:54 UTC | Permalink

Comments

[i’m going for it]
the south koreans have a legitimate beef here. but don’t look to condi-scension rice for much help, though. that was the crux of her msg to asia a couple years back when she was dealing w/ japan et al’s u.s. beef embargo.

Posted by: b real | Jun 10 2008 15:18 utc | 1

Science and facts? As long as they don’t interfere with ideology and religious beliefs!

Posted by: ralphieboy | Jun 11 2008 11:03 utc | 2

I hope that Americans will begin to learn more about the science and about the facts of American beef and that this issue can be addressed constructively…..by ending consumption of industrial beef!

Posted by: Maxcrat | Jun 11 2008 11:16 utc | 3

A beef with the president

THE massive demonstration on the evening of Tuesday June 10th was a sight to behold. At least 100,000 protesters were crammed together in downtown Seoul, hemmed in by shipping containers dumped onto the streets and by police buses.
…
Mr Lee and the American ambassador to South Korea have imperiously dismissed such concerns. A restive public suspects that the two countries’ free-trade agreement is being placed above their health concerns. The resignations by Mr Lee’s cabinet impressed few South Koreans.
Now Mr Lee is left with little room to move. A renegotiation of the free-trade deal to account for South Korean health concerns—as the government said it would seek to do, last week—is unlikely to go down well in America. But the alternative is more isolation at home amid worsening dissatisfaction over rising prices and unemployment: a recent Gallup poll found that 81% of Koreans would support renegotiation of the deal. The president’s Grand National Party suffered a precipitous drop in support in local elections last week. Last week he marked his hundredth day in office with little to celebrate. His personal approval rating has slumped by 31 points since his inauguration and sits around 21%, according to Gallup, a pollster.
…
Without popular backing it is doubtful Mr Lee ambitious legislative agenda will be passed by parliament. The nightly protests against American beef imports are as much about Mr Lee as they are about mad cows.

Posted by: b | Jun 11 2008 11:38 utc | 4

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