Westerwelle refuses to speak english on german press conference

Germany's foreign minister making a fool of himself. I'm ashamed to realise this guy is going to represent my country.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• westerwelle
• fdp
• english
• englisch
• press
• conference
• pressekonferenz

[fantaengland]

The German minister acted very correctly. Germans always act very correctly.... That's why they go round the world making complete wankers of themselves.... but very correct wankers of course ;)

[NiklasWalendy]

@fantaengland Haha, I laughed at this.

[luevas]

How peculiar. On the opposite side of the spectrum we have actress Salma Hayek who will always refuse to speak in her native spanish language in press conferences while promoting her films, even when she actually is in Mexico. Makes you think about how different mindsets of european and latin american people are. I'm mexican by the way.

[NiklasWalendy]

@luevas Yes, peculiar indeed. The impact of Hayek's decision is a different one though because she's not running for the spot of a foreign minister(which he was at the time of this video). But thanks for this insight. :)

[baphithi]

much ado about nothing really. A top diplomat could be more diplomatic.

[NiklasWalendy]

@baphithi wonderful comment.

[procrast]

I would have asked the minister a question in Chinese and demand that he provide a response also in Chinese.

[yuflungdung94]

And English people do show respect for other cultures and languages.. we are one of the most diverse countries out there and i myself can speak German because my father is German and i have a lot of German family...its only a minority of English people that don't show respect towards other cultures and languages

[fantaengland]

@NiklasWalendy And believe it or not, I could have written that in German. But as I am on an English speaking website.....lol

[croown2]

@rattenjagerjunior In Brasilien spricht man portugisisch

[jimmye15]

The main issue here everyone is that it is common knowledge that he speaks english and has answered questions outside Germany in english. Why not just answer if he can? Because others Wont understand him? I'm sure that guy who didn't speak German just wanted a quick answer from him in english as they both speak it. Obv if he spoke German or he didn't speak english it would be a problem - what an arrogant foreign minister

[rattenjagerjunior]

@procrast When foreign minister from Japan have a press conference in London. He speaks Japanese. If he or she has not been study at St-Andrews, Oxford, LSE or Cambridge. Foreign ministers from Brazil speak Brasilia. And former foreign minister from USSR, the famous Eduard Shevardnadze, always spoke Russian. In Brussels at NATO HQ, In UN HQ in Geneva or NY! Any dumb foul knows this!

[yuflungdung94]

I agree with him it should be German in Germany because we would be the same if he wanted a German response in England but was there any need to be that ignorant to the English reporter by saying that question had already been asked in German in case he hadn't noticed the reporter doesn't speak German so he wouldn't have had the foggiest clue what questions had been asked however i do agree that he should have been able to have spoke German or at least have had a translator at the ready