West versus East

I have just read Sam Setter's Limeblast in your March 2003 issue in which Sam calls for the West to unite and promote a total block on imports of raw and wet-blue materials from the CIS countries. You know that for the SIC Group in Paris I am involved in organizing the Leather Link in Moscow in June. The sole objective of this event is to improve, expand and promote the hide and leather trade between East and West. Exactly the contrary of what Sam promotes! However, it does make me happy that Sam's statement is the best proof that Sam Setter and Ron Sauer are NOT the same person which seems to be what many in the world think. So the mystery remains. Let me take this opportunity to state that I find Sam's idea on this specific matter to be naive, not realistic and surely not leading to a solution. For that purpose I feel that The Leather Link meeting in Moscow (as we did last year in Budapest) where we shall get the parties from East and West together to find new partners, to do business and to discuss the problems that indeed exist in certain fields, are a much more positive and realistic approach to finding solutions, mutual understanding and finally improve this so important trade. Ron Sauer LeatherXchange Global Information Services Dear Ron For your sake I hope that people believe you this time when you state that I am not you. I would not say that my call for a boycott is naive and I know it is not workable, so I would define my call a bit on the extreme and provocative side. But then you haven't lost the e500,000 which in my book is still a lot of money..... You will have to agree with me that there is a lot to say for the stick and carrot approach. Sam