An unknown visitor arrives? “Robert, come with me”!

(BRUXELLES2) Who has never had a moment of doubt to identify the head of a Prime Minister or a Head of State? Who has not said one day when seeing three people arrive, who is the good one? ... All journalists and political leaders have a little "book" with the heads of each of the participants before each European summit, to be sure of recognizing them. But, all the same, we could say to ourselves: there are amateurs... and professionals!

"I don't know what he looks like"

Let's taste this tasty moment, of bewilderment, captured by the camera of south east europe, where the head of European diplomacy leaves to welcome the Serbian President, Tomislav Nikolic, for the traditional hand-shaking photo in front of the two flags. At the very last moment, she changes her mind, adjusts her scarf (it's important the scarf, its particular sign of elegance which changes with each meeting) turns to Robert the apostrophe to ask him « Robert, come with me, I don't know what he looks like ». It was minus one! The elevator is about to reach the floor, and it would be really stupid not to shake hands with the president by confusing him with a bodyguard (note that there is something to confuse... -: ). With the help of "Robert" (alias Robert Cooper, the main adviser and negotiator between Kosovo and Serbia), everything then becomes possible and easy. And C. Ashton, all smiles, can then shake the hand of Tomislav the Serbian president for a long time, who just has time to adjust his suit.

Nb: We knew the meaning of the High Representative's improvisation; the camera has thus captured what everyone can experience one day in their "spontaneous" character. Above all, we can, in a more profound way, wonder whether it is appropriate to shake the hand of a "negationist" so warmly today (nb: that is what we call someone who denies the story!).

Thanks to my colleague Tanya to have flushed out this video and to the european experience (the blog of the excellent JS Lefebvre of Euractiv) where you can read a comment... impertinent!