Robin Oakley
Robin Oakley
Robin Oakley, OBEin Kidderminster, Worcestershire is a British journalist. He was European Political Editor at CNN International. Prior to CNN, he was Political Editor at the BBC...
belfast branch colombia defensive intensive involved ira members offices rebels special time
But it comes at a time when the IRA is under intensive pressure. It has been put on the defensive over the arrests in Colombia of IRA members working with FARC rebels and there are allegations it was involved in a burglary of Special Branch offices in Belfast in March,
birthdays man pen six
Jean-Marie Le Pen was like a man who just had six birthdays in one day.
hot potato
such a hot potato that it was dropped.
attempt belfast blair bush easily fact george gives listens location mark meet outside political respect seriously sign sort states takes tony united voyage
The fact that George Bush has come to Belfast to meet Tony Blair in this location ... is in a sense a mark of respect for Tony Blair, an attempt to show outside world -- because George Bush doesn't voyage outside the United States all that easily -- it's a sign that he takes him seriously and listens to his advice. It gives him some sort of political payback,
full nato
We are not going to see a full NATO operation,
divisions huge
I don't think we'll see huge divisions here in Greece.
bush interested kick peace process rest
Bush will be there to show that the rest of the world is still interested in this peace process and to kick it along.
blair bush detail extent follow forward helping latest peace process proposals tony
Bush isn't going to follow the detail to the same extent (as Clinton), but he is helping to put his imprimatur on that process in an important week, when Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern put forward their latest proposals to revive the peace process,
angela basically boils chancellor coalition democrats free greens whether
Basically what it boils down to is whether Angela Merkel detaches the Greens from Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder into a coalition with her and the Free Democrats, or whether Chancellor Schroeder detaches the Free Democrats from Angela Merkel's side.
board complete crisis drawing mess
Basically, he has to go back to the drawing board ... to have another go at it, ... It's not a crisis or a complete disaster. It's a mess and it's a humiliation.
alienated change french gained pen people running seem temporary
He did not say how people are going to change the technocrats who seem to be running French politics, who have alienated the people and who have gained Le Pen his temporary success.
again believe destroy french presidency standing vote
If the French vote 'no,' most analysts believe it would destroy any possibility of Chirac standing again for the presidency in 2007,
among asking bank blamed buy fighters huge ira last money northern pensions question robbery skepticism year
There is skepticism among unionists as the IRA is blamed for the huge Northern Bank robbery last year and the question they are asking is: Will that money be used as pensions for old IRA fighters or to buy new arms,
present public reacting reluctant themselves trying
were very much trying to present themselves as reluctant warriors. They were very much reacting to demonstrations of public opinion.