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"You're infuriating," Bono tells Canadian PM
GLENEAGLES, Scotland, July 6 (Reuters) - Irish rock star and anti-poverty activist Bono injected undiplomatic language into a gathering of the world's most powerful men on Wednesday, telling the Canadian prime minister his refusal to promise more foreign aid was "infuriating".
Bono, like his fellow Irish rock star Bob Geldof, had openly pressed Canada's Paul Martin to give a date by which his country would raise its overseas assistance to 0.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product.
Martin refuses, saying it could be too expensive, and stuck to his guns during a meeting with Bono on the margins of a summit of the Group of Eight leading industrialised nations in Scotland.
"He's very difficult to deal with because he won't agree to things that he doesn't believe he can deliver, although that is very frustrating and annoying and infuriating," Bono told reporters while standing next to Martin.
Canada currently spends the equivalent of 0.26 percent of GDP on foreign aid. Martin says he would rather commit to small increases he knows he can afford than make long-term promises.
"We will ultimately (reach) the 0.7 percent, but we're not going to do it ... until we can basically say to Canadians 'Here's how we're doing it and here's when we're going to do it and there are no caveats and conditions'," Martin said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06285985.htm
GLENEAGLES, Scotland, July 6 (Reuters) - Irish rock star and anti-poverty activist Bono injected undiplomatic language into a gathering of the world's most powerful men on Wednesday, telling the Canadian prime minister his refusal to promise more foreign aid was "infuriating".
Bono, like his fellow Irish rock star Bob Geldof, had openly pressed Canada's Paul Martin to give a date by which his country would raise its overseas assistance to 0.7 percent of Gross Domestic Product.
Martin refuses, saying it could be too expensive, and stuck to his guns during a meeting with Bono on the margins of a summit of the Group of Eight leading industrialised nations in Scotland.
"He's very difficult to deal with because he won't agree to things that he doesn't believe he can deliver, although that is very frustrating and annoying and infuriating," Bono told reporters while standing next to Martin.
Canada currently spends the equivalent of 0.26 percent of GDP on foreign aid. Martin says he would rather commit to small increases he knows he can afford than make long-term promises.
"We will ultimately (reach) the 0.7 percent, but we're not going to do it ... until we can basically say to Canadians 'Here's how we're doing it and here's when we're going to do it and there are no caveats and conditions'," Martin said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06285985.htm