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My Orchids. Phalaenopsis "Latte with Sprinkles".
Photo Got Milk?
Starbucks Luxembourg will
be so much more!
Officially, Luxembourg’s
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel will visit the West Coast of the US and promote “DigitalLuxembourg”.
That’s for the official
story. Everyone knows that software engineers cannot function without Starbucks
coffee. This blog though, I hope renowned for its in depth contributions to the
public’s information, found at least some trace of the unspoken collateral
diplomacy going on. Patti Payne, may I quote here your article from February 12th,2015 (Patti is a Columnist at the Puget Sound Business Journal):
“Philanthropist Cynthia
Stroum, a former U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg who was appointed by Barack
Obama in 2009, will host a dinner for the Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier
Bettel and his official delegation on Monday at Seattle's Wild Ginger.
Prime Minister Bettel will be joined by Seattle Mayor Ed
Murray as well as two local business leaders. Bettel was Mayor of
Luxembourg before becoming the prime minister.
"I continue to have great relationships in
Luxembourg," says Stroum, who stepped down from the job in 2011 amid
reports of a confrontational management style by some staffers, "and
continue making connections and links between the two countries."
Of course we in
Luxembourg remember Cynthia Stroum and her incomprehensible sudden departure
from her post as Ambassador. We have looked with incredulity at a so-called
investigation by the Inspector General, taking issue with her management style.
And not to forget the queen size mattress, and 24 bottles of wine. I came to
the conclusion that most countries subjecting their Ambassadors to the same
criteria would run out of Ambassadors.
That’s how things go.
When a President rewards his supporters with a diplomatic post, and then drafts
a Secretary of State who was a former opponent for political calculation,
somehow that might backfire on the early supporters. In any case, Luxembourg
didn’t seem to make a great case out of the episode. They still call her Madam
over there.
The parallel diplomacy with
Luxembourg maintained by Cynthia Stroum at least document her excellent
contacts there. It is a nice occasion to finally close another project she had
in her mind during her official tenure: Starbucks Luxembourg. Ms. Stroum as a
venture capitalist has been an early investor into the Seattle based company. The
Luxembourg project will be a success, and much more: success is the sweetest
revenge, if one is needed.
I don’t know though if the
moment is ripe to ask Mr. Bettel for a special tax ruling. Unless it is over tasting
Seattle Fran’s irresistible smoked salt caramels in chocolate!
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Starbucks (left) in artist's rendering at Centre Hamilius. Photo Codic
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