Speculation has been rampant in recent weeks on who amongst world leaders will be the first to meet President Obama, when and where. Gordon Brown, in particular, has been desperate to attach himself to the world's new star attraction.
But what about Britain's other important international relationships? Surprisingly, I can find no concrete proof that Brown has ever met Vladimir Putin since he succeeded Blair in June 2007. There is a single uncorroborated report that they met in the sidelines of the April 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest. In response to my Parliamentary question, however, Brown is opaque to say the least on whether he has met Putin since June 2007. Other than that, it seems Brown met Putin when he was Chancellor in early 2006. If I am wrong, and if they have met more often than this, then why is Brown so unwilling to say so?
The reason I ask is this. Whatever one thinks about Putin's Russia, and few are more sceptical than I am, Western leaders have two choices. They can either engage and seek to be of influence (like Gerhard Schroeder was as German Chancellor), especially on important issues like the Iranian nuclear programme, or one can make a public point of shunning the Russian leadership. But if Brown is shunning Putin deliberately, then it isn't a very effective strategy if he doesn't choose to tell us this - secret boycotts make little sense.
Last year, the Mail on Sunday reported that Brown and Putin had not even spoken on the 'phone in the first 9 months of the Brown premiership. It seems that little has changed since.
By the way, returning to the obscure answer Brown gave to my question on when he met Putin and Medvedev, namely that
"I have regular discussions with the Russian leadership, including at G8 and G20 summits. I have invited President Medvedev to the G20 in London in April."
I ask, is this any real answer at all? Brown took over pledging that
"Government must be more open and accountable to Parliament"
So why won't he answer simple questions like when he last met a key world leader, information which is surely kept and collated by Government. Contrast this with Tony Blair, not even he refused to answer this kind of question, as seen here for example.
So what is my point? First, are we engaging with Russia or not? How can we hope for their help on e.g. Iran if we don't meet them? Second, why is Brown being even more reluctant to answer to Parliament than his predecesssor? Third, is Brown still trying to be Chancellor of the Exchequer, ignoring his other important duties?
