ALEX Salmond is considering moves to build a Scottish 'embassy' in China under plans to expand the country's presence in the East.
Scotland on Sunday can reveal that officials at the Scottish Government are studying plans to open a 'Scotland House' in Beijing, along similar lines to the building in Brussels where the Government's EU 'ambassador' is based.
Something Alex Salmond once said:
"Scotland needs independence and the freedom to pursue an ethical foreign policy in the world – one which advances the cause of peace and justice, not war and occupation."
Consolidating "diplomatic relations" with the oppressors of Tibet, is that an example of Alex's "ethical foreign policy", advancing "the cause of peace and justice"?
To be fair though, following Ms Hyslop’s March visit, during which she pledged to stress the SNP’s human rights concerns, perhaps the Chinese authorities have indeed seen the light and decided to turn over a new leaf.
8 comments:
How is that any different to the UK having an Embassy in Beijing?
The Uk doesn't make any claims to an ethical foreign policy anymore, Salmond does- at the very least he's being hypocritical.
Incidently, I think Brown should be showing more backbone in this matter as well.
They don't? Are they openly un-ethical now then?
The UK government is as bad as every other government in preaching ethical foreign policy but practicing something a whole lot different.
I'm not going into the good and bads of dealing with China, I just wanted to ensure your criticism of Salmond on the issue was matched by similar criticism of Brown seeing as how both Scottish and London governments want to deal with China!
I'm not going into the good and bads of dealing with China, I just wanted to ensure your criticism of Salmond on the issue was matched by similar criticism of Brown seeing as how both Scottish and London governments want to deal with China!
No, I've no problem saying that dealing with dictatorships is wrong even if my govt does it...Scot Nats seem to operate on a more elastic definition of morality.
Still can't see how you can make this to be point scoring against the Scot Nats seeing as how the Brit Nats in London are doing the exact same thing
Salmond promises an ethical foreign policy- he then starts to do business with dictatorships- the silence from the cybernats is deafening.
You really don't see my point?
Another Salmond quote:
Let me also take a moment to reflect on the moral leadership which must always matter in a profoundly unequal world. Foreign policy can never exist in a moral vacuum - our obligations to our fellow man transcend party politics or national self-interest.
Do you think he's including the thousands of Chinese and Tibetan dissidents in that "fellow man" quote or was it just a handy soundbite for another gullible audience?
Gordon Brown quote:
You know, there is a golden thread of common humanity that across nations and faiths binds us together and it can light the darkest corners of the world. And the message should go out to anyone facing persecution anywhere from Burma to Zimbabwe: human rights are universal and no injustice can last forever.
I'm not defending Salmons, I'm simply pointing out that this isn't a "oh look at the Scot Nats being bad", this is a "oh look at all politicians, Scot and Brit Nats, being bad"
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