Did Putin push it?

Published: 17 Jul 2006
By: Faisal Islam

Was Vladimir Putin the man behind Bush & Blair's open mic spot?

Faisal Islam Blog: Strelna, St Petersburg, Russia. 17th July 2006 2243

We could hardly believe it.

The G8 leaders caught unawares by a rogue microphone.

Well actually it was just two G8 leaders. President Bush and Tony Blair candidly having a conversation about the Middle East crisis which suggested frustration with the United Nations along with some revealing small talk.

Bush tells Blair that he likes the sweater Blair chose for him personally, noisily chews on a buttered role, whilst swearing about Hezbollah, and referring to Syrian President Bashar-al-assad .. as Bashad. He confides to Tony that he's annoyed that other leaders "talk for too long" because he wants to go home and most amusingly summons him with the greeting "Yo Blair".

The Prime minister leans over Bush whilst he's chomping away at his dinner in a manner not dissimilar to that of a teenage boy desperately trying to capture the interest of a disinterested hotty.

But who was responsible for these stunning insights into the group of 8 dynamic?

Well, the channel 4 team had, what you might call a "Usual suspect slow motion coffee mug dropping moment" when we realized that one of the rogue microphones picking up these secrets was none other than that of Russian president Vladimir Putin, who had left his chair!

Surely not?

Scrolling through the tape - we sought the point at which Bush's private thoughts begin to be broadcast to the world.

And yes at the moment the sound comes on, Vladimir Putin is sat smiling wryly at his seat, you can't see his hands, but the red light on his microphone lights up, indicating that it was the source of the recording.

The old tricks of an ex-KGB agent. Surely not? An electrical fault perhaps? Maybe a harmless practical joke? See the video for yourself >>here

My best guess? A Russian president who's been on the receiving end of the odd lecture from western leaders about Russian democracy, has just made a pretty effective point about transparent government.

Faisal Islam

>>Watch Faisal Islam's report

>>Watch the whole conversation

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We'd like to hear what you think? Do you think Putin was the man who pushed the button open? Send us your emails to >>news@channel4.com