Diplomacy Might Have ( & Maybe Still Will ) Saved The Day.

The Greek Saga.

There are so many idioms that come to mind, first and foremost:

Don't bite the hand that feeds you!

...our modern world is already more transparent than we'd like. Knowing all is not much fun and often the less we know, the better.

The world has watched at first with bated breath, than slight boredom and last week again with fervour and a touch of anxiety. But what none of us could make sense of, was the act of walking out of a negotiation at the last minute. Unless they had an ace up their sleeves, it made no sense at all.

To a spectator like me, that rather silly act, was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back. A public Middle Finger if there ever was one. We all know, that if we'd do something so defiant to our parents, boss or bank manager ( and in front of a younger sibling, staff or other customers ), we'd be grounded, fired or denied our loan.

Diplomacy 101

The Chinese have a great tradition of Saving Face ( or rather the dignity of the other person ) and how often we'd wished we'd been more diplomatic? No one likes the feeling of being made a fool of, and why should the European Council & co. feel any different.

The time for demands has passed and somehow I tend to think that a bit of apologizing might do the trick...public apologizing!

" We are sorry for walking out of the negotiations after all your time & effort spent. Please can you tell us what we can do, in order for you to help us?

At least that is what I would do, to appease for my public display of recklessness. It might just work too and both sides will have saved face!

Biggi.