>Doug, if you've been at the Waldorf-Astoria,
Not allowed to the Waldorf. The "reporting press" is confined to the neighboring Inter-Continental, where we read press releases, watch some events on TV, and are treated to the occasional press conference.
> what evidence did you see of
>South Africa (aside from Tutu/Bono photo ops)? This AM's Jo'burg papers are
>full of a) the great successes of Mbeki pushing the New Partnership for
>Africa's Development;
Mbeki gave a speech yesterday afternoon, but I didn't hear it, and I haven't read any reports of it. I'm about to go over to the hotel, where I'll pick up some press releases and the very good daily paper for the meeting, which will fill me in.
> b) Trevor Manuel's suave role as one of six
>rapperteurs;
I'm going to a press conference with Manuel, Stanley Fischer, and Paul Martin (Canadian finance minister) in about 2 hrs. I'll let you know.
>and c) the much "tougher" stance Mbeki is taking against
>Mugabe... All these, to a hardened cynic, represent the latest twirls in the
>dance routine, but what do you see?
Manuel was quoted as having said the other day that "we give up our ideas too easily." I think you should listen to your inner cynic.
But Bono will be accompanying Paul O'Neill on a trip to Africa next month, during which he's going to lobby O'Neill to forgive debt. Speaking of Bono & debt, he claimed that school enrollment in Uganda tripled after debt relief. What's the truth of this?
Doug