Man, I hate meetings. Talk, talk, talk, nothing gets decided, and another meeting is set. They give the appearance that you're doing something--"I'm going to Paris, for godssake, that's what I'm doing!"--when you're really not. If I have the choice, I will not go to a meeting unless a decision is going to be made. I'm not going to a meeting just to talk.
So why does Erdogan want this meeting and why would Putin agree to meet with him or not meet with him? Erdogan wants the meeting because he fucked up, because Putin won the verbal chess match yesterday, because Putin is cutting economic links as response to the shootdown. Erdogan wants to privately express regret,--apologize--without apologizing, and wants no economic ties cut--no consequences for the shootdown.
Now, if I'm Putin there is no way in hell I would agree to this meeting. That mother-fucker Erdogan chose to play the chess match in public by giving interviews and making official public statements. Putin responded in the venue chosen by Erdogan and checkmated him. Now Erdogan wants a rematch in private. If I'm Putin, I'm not going to let Erdogan get away with a private "statement of regret" or something, Erdogan is not going to apologize even in private and then have him maintain his public posture of "We did nothing wrong! No apology!"
It is remarkable to me that all Putin wants is a public apology to cancel the economic sanctions. Erdogan won't even do that. If I'm Putin I have my people tell Erdogan's people to tell Erdogan the nascent economic sanctions will be rescinded if Erdogan makes a public apology to cancel out his public bluster. See? No meeting necessary.
If Erdogan does not publicly apologize and they still meet, things could get worse; they would get worse if it was me and not Putin at that meeting. I would demonstrate on Erdogan my black belt karate skeels. That would be worse, see?
So why does Erdogan want this meeting and why would Putin agree to meet with him or not meet with him? Erdogan wants the meeting because he fucked up, because Putin won the verbal chess match yesterday, because Putin is cutting economic links as response to the shootdown. Erdogan wants to privately express regret,--apologize--without apologizing, and wants no economic ties cut--no consequences for the shootdown.
Now, if I'm Putin there is no way in hell I would agree to this meeting. That mother-fucker Erdogan chose to play the chess match in public by giving interviews and making official public statements. Putin responded in the venue chosen by Erdogan and checkmated him. Now Erdogan wants a rematch in private. If I'm Putin, I'm not going to let Erdogan get away with a private "statement of regret" or something, Erdogan is not going to apologize even in private and then have him maintain his public posture of "We did nothing wrong! No apology!"
It is remarkable to me that all Putin wants is a public apology to cancel the economic sanctions. Erdogan won't even do that. If I'm Putin I have my people tell Erdogan's people to tell Erdogan the nascent economic sanctions will be rescinded if Erdogan makes a public apology to cancel out his public bluster. See? No meeting necessary.
If Erdogan does not publicly apologize and they still meet, things could get worse; they would get worse if it was me and not Putin at that meeting. I would demonstrate on Erdogan my black belt karate skeels. That would be worse, see?
