No US-UK strains, insists ambassador
A PROMINENT proponent of the so-called 'special relationship', Louis Susman dismisses suggestions that trans-Atlantic relations are not what they once were.
The US ambassador to the UK insists that the relationship could not be stronger than at present, despite the vast Gulf of Mexico oil spill and substantial differences between European nations led by the UK, Germany and Italy on whether now is the time to rein in government borrowing.
The continuing BP oil spill has led to public criticisms in the UK of President Obama referring to BP as 'British Petroleum', despite the company having dropped that title a decade ago as it grew into a multi-national corporation.
Lord Tebbit, a former Conservative Party chairman, has accused Mr Obama of a "xenophobic display of partisan political presidential petulance against a multinational company" while London Mayor Boris Johnson warned about "the anti-British rhetoric that seems to be permeating from America."
But Mr Susman says: "I would say the special relationship with Britain is strong, it's viable.
"The president made the first call to prime minister Cameron, the first call as he walked in the door of 10 Downing, to reiterate the special relationship.
"I can't imagine in my experience as Ambassador to the Court of St James it could be any stronger than it is right now."
Pressed on the apparent strains brought about by the oil disaster, Mr Susman replies: "I think there are no strains on the BP issue.
"This is not a diplomatic matter; this is not government to government.
"This is a multi-national corporation that has been involved in and created a major ecological catastrophe, an economic catastrophe, and all the things the president is doing, saying, suggesting, he would be doing to an American company if they had done the same thing.
"The special relationship in no way has been even slightly impaired by this."
Asked whether the British media and commentators had therefore been too prickly about President Obama's comments, he diplomatically declines to answer: "I have come to the conclusion that the media will do what they do and it would be wise for an ambassador not to comment on what the media does."
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Tuesday 14 February 2012
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