Page 8 - aruba-today-20190711

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 11 July 2019

UK ambassador to US quits after leaked cables enrage Trump

By DANICA KIRKA were involved in the inves-
JILL LAWLESS tigation.
Associated Press McDonald said it was “vi-
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s tally important” that am-
ambassador to the United bassadors were able to
States resigned Wednes- speak candidly in private
day after being branded and that it was the first time
a fool and made a diplo- in his 37-year career that a
matic nobody by President head of state had refused
Donald Trump following the to work with a British am-
leak of the envoy’s unflat- bassador. But he said the
tering opinions about the trans-Atlantic relationship
U.S. administration. was “so deep and so wide
Storm clouds gathered that it will withstand any
over the trans-Atlantic re- individual squall.” He also
lationship as veteran dip- said he feared there might
lomat Kim Darroch said he be more leaks of sensitive
could no longer do his job government documents.
in Washington after Trump The U.S. State Department
cut off all contact with the said in a statement that
representative of one of “the United States and the
America’s closest allies. United Kingdom share a
The break in relations fol- In this Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, file photo, British Ambassador Kim Darroch hosts a National Economists bond that is bigger than
lowed a British newspa- Club event at the British Embassy in Washington. any individual, and we look
per’s publication Sunday of Associated Press forward to continuing that
leaked documents that re- and other British politicians also criticized Trump’s ver- tion Labour Party, said Dar- partnership. We remain
vealed the ambassador’s praised Darroch, con- bal attacks on journalists. roch “has been bullied out committed to the U.S.-UK
dim view of Trump’s ad- demned the leak — and “I wouldn’t use the lan- of his job, because of Don- Special Relationship and
ministration, which Darroch criticized Trump’s intemper- guage President Trump ald Trump’s tantrums and our shared global agen-
described as dysfunctional, ate comments, if only im- used, and I wouldn’t agree Boris Johnson’s pathetic da.”
inept and chaotic. plicitly. Pointedly, however, with it,” he said. “We have lick-spittle response.” Like his predecessors, Dar-
“The current situation is Boris Johnson, considered to remember that what we Darroch’s forthright, unfil- roch was a prominent fig-
making it impossible for the front-runner to replace say can have an impact in tered views on the U.S. ad- ure in Washington, meeting
me to carry out my role as May as prime minister, did other countries where they ministration — meant for a frequently with high-level
I would like,” Darroch said not defend the ambassa- can’t take press freedom limited audience and dis- U.S. officials and hosting
in his resignation letter. He dor after Trump’s tirade. for granted.” creet review — appeared parties at the stately Brit-
had been due to leave his Foreign Secretary Jeremy Darroch announced his in the leaked documents ish Embassy. Gatherings
post at the end of the year. Hunt, Johnson’s rival for decision the morning after published by Britain’s Mail were frequently bipartisan,
In the leaked documents, the post, said Wednesday a televised Conservative on Sunday newspaper. drawing guests from the
he called the Trump ad- it was “absolutely essential leadership debate be- Darroch had served as Brit- Trump and Obama admin-
ministration’s policy toward that when our diplomats tween Hunt and Johnson. ain’s envoy to Washington istrations, who mingled with
Iran “incoherent,” said the do their job all over the During the debate, Hunt since 2016; the leaked ca- journalists and members of
president might be indebt- world ... we defend them.” vowed to keep Darroch in bles covered a period from prominent think tanks.
ed to “dodgy Russians” “We had a fine diplomat the post, but Johnson — his 2017 to recent weeks. Darroch often addressed
and raised doubts about who was just doing what he predecessor as foreign sec- British officials are hunting the attendees at such
whether the White House should have been doing — retary — notably did not for the culprit behind the gatherings, making sure to
“will ever look competent.” giving a frank assessment, support the British envoy. leak, which was both an single out high-level admin-
“We don’t really believe a personal assessment of “I think it’s very important embarrassment to May’s istration officials.
this administration is going the political situation in the we should have a close government and a major Trump’s tweets created
to become substantially country that he was post- partnership, a close friend- breach of diplomatic se- a furor among many Brit-
more normal; less dysfunc- ed (to) — and that’s why I ship with the United States,” curity. “We will pursue the ish politicians and officials,
tional; less unpredictable; defended him,” he told re- said Johnson, whom Trump culprit with all the means at who found themselves in-
less faction riven; less dip- porters. “And I think we all has praised in the past. our disposal,” Foreign Of- sulted by the president’s
lomatically clumsy and in- should.” Emily Thornberry, the fice chief Simon McDonald decision to have the ad-
ept,” one missive said. Speaking at a conference spokeswoman on foreign told a committee of law- ministration cut off contact
Prime Minister Theresa May on media freedom, Hunt affairs for the main opposi- makers, adding that police with their ambassador. q

Portugal’s Socialists eye re-election on

economic record

Associated Press
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal’s Socialist prime minister is vowing to address the challenges of
a low national birth rate, the increasing cost of health care and climate change as he bids for a
second straight term in the country’s Oct. 6 general election.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa used his annual State of the Nation speech in parliament Wednes-
day to laud his government’s record of economic growth, with the budget deficit of 0.5% the low-
est in more than 40 years.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa smiles and looks at Portugal needed a 78 billion-euro ($88 billion) bailout in 2011, after recording a deficit above 11%,
opposition lawmakers while delivering his speech opening the and plunged into a three-year recession.
annual State of the Nation debate at the parliament in Lisbon, Costa’s center-left Socialist Party, ruling as a minority government for the past four years, holds a
Wednesday, July 10, 2019. comfortable lead in polls.
Associated Press Critics say public services are starved for cash under the Socialists.q