Chirac in Davos
The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is a meeting of many of the richest and most powerful people in the world. Chirac couldn't quite make it there (the weather, apparently) but appeared live via a video link-up. According to the NYT,
"Mr. Chirac suggested several new ideas to combat the world's woes. One was to tax the money flowing into countries like Switzerland that favor banking secrecy - an idea that drew a ripple of surprised laughter from the well-heeled delegates to this gathering of 2,225 executives, bankers, politicians and other players in the global economy.
To raise money for research into vaccine development and other AIDS-related costs, Mr. Chirac suggested that a minuscule levy - "a maximum of one ten-thousandth" - could be raised from international financial transactions representing $3 trillion a day, enabling international bodies to raise $10 billion a year for the fight against AIDS."
A "ripple of surprised laughter" surely means something in such circles. So let's see if Chirac, or anyone else, ever raises this suggestion again. Ever. Fat chance...
"Mr. Chirac suggested several new ideas to combat the world's woes. One was to tax the money flowing into countries like Switzerland that favor banking secrecy - an idea that drew a ripple of surprised laughter from the well-heeled delegates to this gathering of 2,225 executives, bankers, politicians and other players in the global economy.
To raise money for research into vaccine development and other AIDS-related costs, Mr. Chirac suggested that a minuscule levy - "a maximum of one ten-thousandth" - could be raised from international financial transactions representing $3 trillion a day, enabling international bodies to raise $10 billion a year for the fight against AIDS."
A "ripple of surprised laughter" surely means something in such circles. So let's see if Chirac, or anyone else, ever raises this suggestion again. Ever. Fat chance...
posted by UK plc at 9:46 AM
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