From a stunning admission over the final communique to some slang used only in Australia, here are a few choice quotes from the opening day of the G20 summit in Osaka.
– Nobody? –
“For once, I was using this jetlag to read the communique which normally I’m not doing. I’m not the only one in this room who does not read the communique. Nobody, in fact, reads the communique.” (Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission).
– Habemus –
“Don’t expect white smoke here in Osaka. Smoking is forbidden everywhere here. I have no idea how you will survive, Jean-Claude!” (EU President Donald Tusk).
Tusk was talking about the nomination of a successor to the famously heavy smoking Juncker, which EU leaders are still fighting over. A white smoke signal is used by cardinals in the Sistine Chapel to show a new pope has been elected.
– Fair trade, fair dinkum –
“It’s important to note they’ve got some fair dinkum issues they are trying to sort out,” (Prime Minister Scott Morrison talking about the US-China trade war using a term that will leave many outside Australia scratching their heads.)
– It’s getting hot –
“The G20 meeting takes place in a moment of high tension, high political tension. We have global warming but we have also global political warming.” (UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres).
– High praise –
“She is a fantastic person, a fantastic woman.” (Donald Trump talking about German Chancellor Angela Merkel).
A feistier Trump had earlier lambasted Germany as “delinquent” for failing to spend enough to support the NATO alliance.
– ‘Made in the world’ –
“Today things are made neither in China nor in the United