The Hindu : International : U.K. envoy's gaffe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 22, 2004

International

International

U.K. envoy's gaffe

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, SEPT. 21. A senior British diplomat has caused embarrassment here by describing the U.S. President, George W. Bush, as the "best recruiting sergeant for Al-Qaeda'' .

Ivor Roberts, the British Ambassador to Italy, provoked outrage in the Foreign Office after he was reported making damaging comments about Mr. Bush, saying that the only people "ready to celebrate'' his re-election were Al-Qaeda activists.

"If anyone is ready to celebrate the eventual re-election of Bush, it's Al-Qaeda,'' he was quoted as telling a private meeting of diplomats and politicians in Tuscany.

His remarks were meant to be off the record but were leaked to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The Foreign Office here was quick to distance itself, saying they did not represent Government policy.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Powell blames it on misleading inputs

U.K. envoy's gaffe

U.S. strategies undermine U.N.

Appeal to Bush, Musharraf

The spirit of Kalashnikov

U.N. moots global tax to fight hunger

'Terrorism a global priority'

Linking rivers, with happy results

E.U. official to give up business

Seoul to eschew nuclear weapons

Tobacco firms face high-stakes trial

No one is above law: Kofi Annan