CBC: Russian president cancels Vancouver visit

[tuvor]

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has cancelled his visit to Vancouver to attend the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics on Sunday evening, CBC News has learned.

The announcement comes as a surprise because Russia is the next host of the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, and Medvedev had planned to attend.

No official reason for the cancellation was given, but Olympic protocol does not require the president of the next host country to attend the closing ceremonies.

Instead, it is the mayor of the host city that is expected to receive the Olympic flag at the end of the Games.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/25/bc-russian-president-cancels-visit.html

[HeresyLives]

1. Obama didn't come, neither did Hu Jintao.

Or Brown or Sarkozy or anyone else.

We got a sprinkling of minor royals, and that was it.

In Medvedev's case it may be something simple like a problem at home, or a case of the flu.

Or it may be that we have no friends left globally, thanks to Harper's blundering.




Edit for spelling

[glarius]

2. None of the world leaders came to the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002 either.

The world leaders don't usually attend. The Olympic flag is handed off from the mayor of our city to the mayor of the next city. The reason Russia's leader was coming was because the Olympics will be in Russia in 2014 and I guess he thought he would like to come. I heard a commentator today say that he wasn't coming because he was disgusted with the performance of his country's team and lack of medals.

[HeresyLives]

5. They usually come to show support for their team.

It was certainly skewed for awhile after 911, but you'll notice how many attended Beijing....except for our dear leader that is.

[glinda]

21. Russia is embarrassed by their Olympics losses and their "bratty" skater.

[HeresyLives]

26. Which doesn't explain Obama, Hu Jintao,

Brown, Sarky....

No A-listers at all...only the C and D crowd.

Nothing like the names that showed up for Beijing.

[glinda]

27. Good point.

[HEyHEY]

3. Who cares, real leaders don't go to Olympics

Seriously. If you're the leader of a country in today's economic turmoil, are you showing up and wasting taxpayers dollars as something like this? Maybe if it's in your OWN nation...otherwise, that's a bullshit waste of money.

[tuvor]

4. I thought it was interesting because he had planned to appear.

And now we learn about the cancellation with just a couple of days to go.

BTW, nice to see you around these parts again, HEyHEY.

[HEyHEY]

10. Thanks!

Still in CHina, home now though... go back next week

[tuvor]

11. Well, don't be a stranger.

Let us know what you're up to.

Have a safe trip back.

[HeresyLives]

6. A major part of leaders going to the Olympics

is that they can have important discussions in a more relaxed setting, and away from the cameras.

[HEyHEY]

9. yeah, there's a lie they love to spread, is it not?

[HeresyLives]

12. No.

[HEyHEY]

13. Well, it is

[HeresyLives]

14. LOL no it's not.

And you have no basis for such a claim.

[HEyHEY]

15. Yes I do

Four years covering politics. With a real organization at higher levels.

Basically they say that's what they're doing, but nothing of importance is ever solved in such meetings and nothing goes on record, wich negates its importance.

[HeresyLives]

16. I know where you worked.

And the level at which you worked.

[HEyHEY]

17. Then there you go

I've seen this shit before. It's the same all over. If the sitting there and gabbing was important then, considering the current climate around the world, more world leaders would be in Vancouver... but they no damned well nothing will get done.

[HeresyLives]

19. World level politics is quite different

from the stuff you covered.

There is no reason for any world leader to talk to Harper or get to know him...he's useless, and on his way out.

[HEyHEY]

22. See, you're just going on your hatred for harper

You need to consider there are MANY reasons for other nations to talk to him. OUr resources are sought after in a big way. Also, I resent that there's "A big difference" cause there isn't. The jump from provincial, national and civc to international is not as much as ya think... plus it's better than going from nothing to international. Often all of them intertwine.

Anyway, while harper is on his way out ( I hope) if you look at past olympics not often do mass amounts of world leaders go. And, as I said there's issues now such as taiwan and the USA plus the goings-on in the Ukraine. It's more important to stay home than go to Olympics in those times, if not they'd be here discussing them over a hot chocoalate watching curling.

[HEyHEY]

23. SHould add

I think a big reason Russia ain't coming is the poor performance of their athletes and the doping scandal for them.

[HeresyLives]

24. Well see, I'm not a neo-Con.

Nor do I hold that anybody needs to talk to Harp, a man that gets his marching orders from DC.

[HEyHEY]

25. I'm not a neo con either

That doesn't mean that I'm going to blame everything on Harper and lead everything to harper. As much as I dislike the man, not everything is his fault.

[CHIMO]

18. Wow

You are one smart cookie!

So what's up Mike?

[HeresyLives]

20. Neither a cookie, nor Mike. Sorry.

[daleo]

7. They know Harper would turn it into a giant photo op

And he would probably try to force feed them seal meat again. So, why bother?

[HeresyLives]

8. AHAHAHAHAHAHA

Very likely!