eurealist.co.uk

The EU propaganda Minister seems to be spinning a line in her latest post on her blog she implies that the British press is lying in reports about the Council Presidents Plane, Palace and Staff.

The post is not clear about the facts ie, is the press right to state that the president will have a plane, palace and a large personal staff.

Only it seems the press is lying when they report that these decisions were taken at a dinner attended by the Propaganda Minister, who attests that this subject was not raised at the dinner.

I have only read one report about the Dinner by Bruno Waterfield and he makes no claim that these decisions were taken at the dinner, in fact he says clearly they were not.

So we seem to have a conundrum on one hand Waterfield is making the point that the discussions about implementing the Lisbon Treaty are being held informally, the issues being discussed are not in the public domain there are no public minutes of these informal meeting and no one is taking notes.

And on the other the Propaganda Minister is trying to dismiss these claims.

I would suggest that Commissioner Wallstrom is trying a very old trick she is using one called the straw man argument, in which she is attempting to deny press reports about decisions being taken in secret meetings away from public view, by denying decisions about the president were taken at the dinner she attended.

A meeting moreover which was taken at an informal dinner where were none of the proposals or ideas were in the public realm. There were no public minutes and no one was even taking notes.

Although Commissioner Wallstrom argues she is “on the record as deploring decisions taken behind closed doors” she apparently does not deplore them that much as she is obviously prepared to attend such meetings.

So we are left with a couple of questions;

If the Presidents plane, palace and staff were not decided at the dinner meeting, which, although not secret, was informal, hence what was discussed in not in the public domain. The Commsiner has told us what was discussed, (a) but what was agreed at that dinner, who said what, and what commitments were made and by whom ?

The other question is; if the press reports are correct abut the president’s plane, palace and staff, then at which secret/informal meeting/Dinner/Lunch/Tea break/ were those decisions made?

And much more importantly who made these decisions?

(a) It was an informal dinner with President Barroso and the ambassadors of the Member States. It was to discuss what steps might need to be taken by the Commission or by the Council this year in order to actually be ready if and when the Lisbon Treaty is ratified. Not to anticipate, but to prepare. Among the things discussed were the External Action Service but also others.

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