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Saturday, November 15, 2014

KOALA DIPLOMACY IN AUSTRALIA - Nothing like a cuddly Koala to break the ice - Canada PM Harper to Putin: Get out of Ukraine

At least these little guys are up for some shirtfronting! G20 leaders pose for a photo and a cuddle... as some adorable koalas show them some very Australian hospitality.

  • Western leaders gathered in Brisbane, Australia, to discuss Ebola epidemic, trade, global economy and the situation in Ukraine 
  • World leaders also got to experience Australia's wildlife and cuddle up to a koala
  • Vladimir Putin reportedly warned that he would leave early after a tense exchange with Canada's Stephen Harper  
  •  PM Harper to Putin:  I'll shake your hand, but get out of Ukraine

  • Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper holding 'Jimbelung' the koala before the start of the first G20 meeting in Brisbane
    Canada PM Stephen Harper enjoying a koala hug.  PM Harper truly loves animals.

     
    Laureen Harper (pictured left), wife of Canada's prime minister Stephen Harper, looks at a koala at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary as part of the G20 Leaders Spouse programme in Brisbane
    Laureen Harper, wife of Canada's PM Stephen Harper
     looks enchanted by the cuddly creature too.

    View image on Twitter
    Australia PM Tony Abbott with President Putin of Russia and their koala friends,
    the adorable animals eliciting smiles from both of them.
     
    Iron chancellor: Germany's Angela Merkel seemed taken by Jimbelung the koala in Prime Minister Abbott's arms
    Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel petting a koala in PM Abbott's arms.
     
    The kiwi and the koala: New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key got a chance to spend some time with his neighbors' national mascot 
     Hugs for New Zealand PM John Key
    But the ‘koala diplomacy’ could only carry the western leaders so far.
     
    Once the smiles and fuzzy embraces were over, the talks hit their first major stumbling block when Mr Putin declared that he would leave Brisbane early after being threatened with additional economic sanctions if he failed to end Russian backing for rebels in Ukraine.
     
    Russia denied any involvement in an escalation of the separatist war in eastern Ukraine, where more than 4,000 people have been killed since April, but faced strong rebukes from leaders including President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
     
    ‘I guess I'll shake your hand but I have only one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine,’ Harper told Putin at the summit in Brisbane, Australia, according to his spokesman Jason MacDonald.
     
    Putin's response to the comment was not positive, MacDonald said in an email, without elaborating. 
     
    A source in Putin's delegation told Reuters that the Russian president would leave the summit early, skipping a working breakfast on Sunday, because he needed to return to meetings in Moscow.
     
    But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any such plans, saying: ‘This is wrong. The president is taking part in all the (G20) events.’
     
    Western nations have imposed successive rounds of sanctions on Moscow, accusing it of sending troops and tanks to back pro-Russian rebels fighting to break away from Ukraine. Russia denies the charges.
     
    The measures, aimed at sectors like oil and banking, as well as individuals close to Putin, are squeezing Russia's economy at a time when falling oil prices are straining the budget and the rouble has plunged on financial markets.
     
    More Koala pictures with politicians
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2836006/Kissing-koalas-charm-G20-leaders-Putin-cracks-rare-smile-threatening-storm-tense-talks-Ukraine.html

    PM Harper confronts Putin
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-and-g20-leaders-confront-putin-problem-at-australia-meet/article21603599/
     
     
    Canada's PM Harper genuinely loves animals. 
    He has a Fostering Pets page on his website. 
    He and his wife Laureen have been foster parents to many homeless animals over the years. 

    Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen play with Stanley, the newest member of the Harper family

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