Jean Chrétien and businessmen David Rockefeller, left, and John C. Whitehead were honoured last night in New York by the EastWest Institute. Chrétien was named Statesman of the Year, while Rockefeller and Whitehead received Global Leadership Awards.
NEW YORK - His picture hanging from beneath the main arch inside New York City's swank Citriani's restaurant, Jean Chrétien was honoured last night as Statesman of the Year.
Bestowing the honours was the EastWest Institute, which emerged during the Cold War to reduce tensions and continues to promote economic and cultural ties with Eurasia, Russia and Central and Eastern Europe.
The institute says it picked the Prime Minister because he was instrumental in having Russia admitted to what is now the Group of Eight industrialized countries. He pushed to have Russia attend the Halifax Summit in 1995, the institute says. Russia then became involved in subsequent summits.
Several East European ambassadors to the United Nations were in attendance last night, as well as John Negroponte, U.S. ambassador to the UN, Mr. Chrétien's daughter, France Desmarais, and her husband, André, and Hilary Weston, former lieutenant-governor of Ontario. Mr. Chrétien mixed with the guests, but the press was kept at bay.
Eastern European leaders think highly of Mr. Chrétien because after the fall of the Soviet Union, he was among the first to say their countries should be welcomed into NATO, one guest said.
"He said, 'These guys were promised they would be included if they gave up Communism, and now they should be included.' "
Previous recipients of Statesman of the Year include George H. W. Bush, former U.S. president, and Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic.
Last night, New York businessmen David Rockefeller and John C. Whitehead also each received the Global Leadership Award.
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