Three angry leaders at Davos

The reason could be that in this platform bringing thousands of businessmen, chief executive officers, or CEOs, and prominent economists and experts amid future uncertainties together, leaders rushed into Davos for a bit enlightenment.

They came over to see a "ray of hope." First, let me tell you this. I think the leaders came for nothing because the remark you hear very often from people who are supposed to analyze the situation best is "Nobody knows what will happen." The nation that has been taken a serious blow by the crisis is apparently Americans.

An American female journalist friend of mine whom I get together in Davos for years told me that her husband is unemployed now and about 35 percent of their retirement savings have already evaporated.

This year, the difference is that WEF hosts so many political leaders as well. There is a quite long list of leaders but we first listened to the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jinbao and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin among big shots. I think the message of Jinbao, as the leader of China, which is seen as the super power of the future, explaining that his country is ready for cooperation against the economic crisis, is right to the point.

When he said that China expects an 8 percent growth in 2009, everyone relieved I think.

’Help’ angers Putin
As a measure against the crisis, he said, China has prepared a long-term program to increase public expenditures, to modernize industry, to facilitate access to the small- and medium-size enterprises, or SMEs, and to make social security and health reforms.

A sound economy in China that is able to overcome the crisis easily is good for everyone without doubt. Putin as well talked about the reforms they are getting prepared against the global financial crunch. He surprised everyone by saying that he is against "state intervention," a controversial issue discussed in Davos this year. One of the prominent figures who were surprised by Putin’s remark was Dell’s CEO Michael Dell.

At the same panel he participated in, Dell said that he was surprised by Putin and asked him how they, as a leading information technology in the world, could help Russia. I think, the word "help" is the one that Dell should never ever said Putin, because as soon as he heard the word the Russian prime minister showed an unexpectedly fierce reaction and asked in return, "What are you talking about? We are not disabled so we don’t need any help. Help is provided to the disabled, retired and developing countries."

It’s perfectly understandable why Putin got so furious about this word. As the prime minister of a country that once upon a time was named as the super-power of the world together with the United States, Putin may have felt that he was being insulted.

But despite this, the Russian politician managed to remain calm.

Peres raises his voice
Many renowned figures witnessed the anger of two leaders at the Congress Hall the other day. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was sitting next to the Israeli President Shimon Peres at a panel on Gaza.

Erdoğan talked first at the panel to which Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Mousa, attended as well. Turkish prime minister gave the details of his efforts for a peace initiative in Gaza and explained how this terrible attack witnessed by the entire world could be prevented. Mousa voiced the injustice the Palestinians have been subjected to for years.

At the panel, first Peres raised his voice.

The Israeli politician spending years to bring peace to the Middle East raised his voice and this must have been due to the pressure he felt for having the responsibility as a "man of peace." I found it a bit odd when Peres whom I know as a wise man, raised his voice in the hall.

But I think anger is something contagious because Erdoğan taking the floor after Peres told that the moderator did not give him enough time to speak. Upon being interrupted by the Israeli leader, Erdoğan got mad too and left the panel, saying that he will never attend Davos meetings again. This is the first time that I witnessed a politician leaving a Davos panel which I have attended so many of them over the years, so did all participants at Davos.