Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 8 March 2018
Tillerson aims to show US cares despite Trump's Africa slur

By JOSH LEDERMAN grants from Haiti and "shit-
Associated Press hole countries" in Africa as
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) he rejected an immigration
— President Donald Trump deal, according to one
hasn't spoken much about participant and to people
Africa, and what he's said briefed on the Oval Office
has been far from flatter- conversation, who spoke
ing. It falls to his top diplo- on condition of anonym-
mat, on his first official visit ity because they weren't
to the continent, to show authorized to publicly de-
the United States still cares. scribe the discussion
U.S. Secretary of State Rex The slur was greeted with
Tillerson arrived at sunset a mix of horror and out-
Wednesday in Ethiopia's rage on a continent where
capital, the initial stop on many don't know what to
a five-country tour that will think about the U.S. presi-
also take him to Djibouti dent, or what he thinks of
and Kenya in the east be- them.
fore heading further west He's rarely spoken about
to Chad and Nigeria. priorities for the continent,
He was greeted at the air- which garnered a mere
port Addis Ababa on a red seven paragraphs on the
carpet by the Ethiopian for- very last pages of Trump's
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives to begin a six-day trip in Africa, after landing at the Ad- eign minister before taking National Security Strategy.
dis Ababa International Airport, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. a motorcade to his hotel. Tillerson did announce
(Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP) Complicating Tillerson's Tuesday $533 million in
mission is the vulgarity humanitarian aid to help
that Trump used about Af- with famine and conflict-
rica during a White House related needs in Ethiopia,
meeting in January with Somalia, South Sudan and
U.S. lawmakers. Trump had Nigeria.
questioned why the U.S. Listening may be the best
would accept more immi- approach for Tillerson.q

Putin lauds Trump, says U.S.

political system eating itself

By V. ISACHENKOV with him, to search for com-
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian promises," Putin added.
President Vladimir Putin lav- He also noted that he
ished praise on President spent some time talking to
Donald Trump, but added Melania Trump when he
that he was sorely disap- sat next to her during an
pointed with the U.S. po- official dinner at the Group
litical system, saying that it of 20 summit in Hamburg,
has been "eating itself up." Germany in July. The Rus-
Speaking in a series of in- sian leader said he told her
terviews with Russian state and the wife of the Italian
television which were in- premier "about Siberia and
cluded in a documentary Kamchatka, about fishing
released Wednesday, Putin ... about bears on Kam-
described Trump as a great chatka and tigers in the Far
communicator. East."
"I have no disappointment “I made some exaggera-
at all," Putin said when tions,” the action-loving
asked about the U.S. presi- Russian leader said with a
dent. "Moreover, on a per- grin. “When you talk about
sonal level he made a very fishing, you can’t help ex-
good impression on me." aggerating.”
The two leaders met on the Asked jokingly by the inter-
sidelines of international viewer if he was trying to
summits last year. Putin recruit the women, the KGB
praised Trump as a "bal- veteran responded by say-
anced" man, who easily ing: “No, I stopped dealing
gets into the gist of various with that a long time ago.”
issues and listens to his inter- He added with a smile: “But
locutor. I liked doing that, it was my
"It's possible to negotiate job for many years.”q