Howler: 8.10.2002
as forwarded by Bärbl Fink, from Oulu, Finland
Subject: Communication problems
At the opening plenary of the WSSD in Johannesburg, delegations were asked:
"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"
The subsequent debate was a complete FIASCO and ended in deadlock.
The Africans did not know what "food" meant.
The Western Europeans did not know what "shortage" meant.
The Eastern Europeans did not know what "opinion" meant.
Delegates from the Middle East did not know what "solution" meant.
The Chinese did not know what "please" meant.
The South Americans did not know what "honest" meant.
And the United States did not know what "the rest of the world" meant.