It's in the Alps and it involves powerful people hobnobbing. But this is not the G7 or Davos, it's the highly exclusive Bilderberg meeting, an altogether more discreet affair starting Thursday. Held in an Austrian luxury hotel cordoned off by armed police and with military choppers overhead, this four-day pow-wow brings together around 140 movers and shakers from politics, high finance, business and academia.
They include several prime ministers, a host of bankers, technology gurus, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, the head of NATO and top executives like Eric Schmidt of Google and Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary.
Critics deplore the fact that unlike last weekend's Group of Seven meeting in nearby Bavaria, no press are allowed, giving rise to accusations of secrecy and suspicions of dishonest goings-on. But organisers say that since the gathering in Telfs-Buchen -- last year it was in Denmark -- is away from prying eyes it allows those attending to talk freely about the hot-button issues of the day.
They include several prime ministers, a host of bankers, technology gurus, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, the head of NATO and top executives like Eric Schmidt of Google and Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary.
Critics deplore the fact that unlike last weekend's Group of Seven meeting in nearby Bavaria, no press are allowed, giving rise to accusations of secrecy and suspicions of dishonest goings-on. But organisers say that since the gathering in Telfs-Buchen -- last year it was in Denmark -- is away from prying eyes it allows those attending to talk freely about the hot-button issues of the day.
