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  Msg # 375 of 620 on ZZUK4446, Thursday 10-29-25, 2:32  
  From: NY.TRANSFER.NEWS@BLYTHE.O  
  To: ALL  
  Subj: Blair and Bush: The Final Betrayal (2/2)  
 [continued from previous message] 
  
 tortured, but concealed the information from European investigators 
  
 Middle East 
  
 PM's support for US policy undermined his position with Palestinians 
 and his desire to be an honest broker. Backed Bush in refusing to 
 demand an immediate ceasefire during the Israeli onslaught in Lebanon 
 last year 
  
 Public Opinion 
  
 Sacrificed his popularity in the country and provoked hostility within 
 the Labour Party and around the world, to preserve what is seen as a 
 one-sided relationship - summed up in the phrase 'Yo, Blair!' 
  
 What Bush has done for Blair... 
  
 A Medal 
  
 In recognition of Blair's unstinting support for America since 11 
 September 2001, the PM has been awarded the singular honour of a US 
 Congressional Medal. He has yet to collect it 
  
                               * 
  
 THE KEY ISSUES 
  
 CLIMATE CHANGE 
  
 What Blair wants 
  
 Tony Blair hopes his final G8 meeting will give a major push forward to 
 efforts to secure a global agreement to tackle climate change. If that 
 happens, he would deserve the credit for putting the issue at the top 
 of the international agenda. But he will need to squeeze firm 
 commitments rather than warm words out of President Bush. 
  
 What Bush wants 
  
 President Bush has moved to answer his critics by accepting the need 
 for a long-term global framework. But he has not yet committed the US 
 to joining the "son of Kyoto" process led by the United Nations, to a 
 specific worldwide target for cutting emissions or to a global 
 emissions trading scheme. 
  
 What Merkel wants 
  
 Angela Merkel has put climate change at the top of Germany's agenda 
 during its spell chairing the G8. She has formed a common front with Mr 
 Blair in an attempt to push the US and other reluctant nations towards 
 a new post-2012 global agreement. 
  
 Likely outcome 
  
 Too close to call. The summit is expected to call for a long-term 
 global framework now that President Bush has gone that far. But the key 
 question is whether it goes further. 
  
 AFRICA 
  
 What Blair wants 
  
 * A reaffirmation of the Gleneagles pledge to double aid to Africa, and 
 new commitments on health and education. 
  
 * More African peacekeepers to add to the 15,000 trained after 
 Gleneagles. 
  
 * Progress on fairer trade, with greater African access to Western 
 markets, plus a $4bn "aid for trade" package. 
  
 What Bush wants 
  
 * Technical assistance to strengthen Africa's financial markets. 
  
 * Funds to support rural projects, women in business and micro-finance 
 for the poor. 
  
 * A $600m increase in spending on education. 
  
 What Merkel wants 
  
 * More aid from the G8 to improve African infrastructure but more 
 anti-corruption and good governance action from Africa. 
  
 * More funds to encourage private investors into Africa. 
  
 * A breakthrough in the world trade talks this month. 
  
 Likely outcome 
  
 UK and US will deliver onaid promises. Rise from Germany, France and 
 Japannot enough to meet commitments. 
  
 AIDS 
  
 What Blair wants 
  
 Tony Blair has said he will press fellow G8 leaders not to backtrack on 
 the commitment they made at their Gleneagles summit two years ago, 
 during which they pledged to ensure universal access to treatment by 
 2010. He hopes to persuade the summit to approve a series of specific 
 promises and timescales. 
  
 What Bush wants 
  
 Bush said he would ask Congress to approve a plan to double US spending 
 on Aids relief to $30bn over the next five years. Campaigners say the 
 commitment falls slightly short of its "fair share" of the Gleneagles 
 goal. 
  
 What Merkel wants 
  
 Until recently, Germany has adopted a cautious approach based on 
 replenishing the Global Fund. But under pressure from Tony Blair, 
 Chancellor Angela Merkel appears to be moving to a more ambitious 
 position, possibly one that involves a path towards the "universal 
 access" goal. 
  
 Likely outcome 
  
 A draft communiqu€€ says five million Aids sufferers will receive 
 antiretroviral drugs - half what is needed. But this is expected to be 
 beefed up by G8 leaders. 
  
 GLOBAL DIPLOMACY 
  
 What Blair wants 
  
 * Kosovo: pushing for agreement with Russia on Kosovo independence. 
  
 * Darfur: threatening to table UN resolution providing for further 
 sanctions in next few days. 
  
 * Zimbabwe: Blair hopes Robert Mugabe's rule will be on G8 agenda. 
  
 * Iran: hopes to persuade Russia to toughen UN sanctions. 
  
 What Bush wants 
  
 * Darfur: has given up on UN and has already ordered more US economic 
 sanctions against Sudan. 
  
 * Kosovo: will try to overcome Russian resistance to independence. 
  
 * Iran: will allow UN to take the lead while keepingoptions open. 
  
 * Missile shield in Europe: will hope to ease Russian concerns. 
  
 What Merkel wants 
  
 * Darfur: pushing for further UN sanctions against Sudan government. 
  
 * Kosovo: wants UN resolution on independence voted on soon. 
  
 * Iran: will back tough line on compliance with demand for an end to 
 uranium enrichment before negotiations. 
  
 Likely outcome 
  
 There will be statements on Darfur, Iran and Kosovo but the final word 
 lies with the UN Security Council. 
  
  
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