To use a cliche, there are wheels within wheels here. It is hard to put all the players into their respective roles.
It is also interesting, and perhaps a bit unsettling to note that the French Foreign Minister Ville Pin (sp?) is scheduled for a visit to Pakistan.
French FM To Visit Pakistan From February 28
Updated on 2004-02-26 10:32:18
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Feb 26 (PNS) - The French Foreign Minister Dr. Dominique de Villepin will visit Pakistan later this week to discuss further intensification of bilateral relations in various fields.
The visit is very significant, as it is the first in last two years from the French side. He last had visited Pakistan in August 2002 with a view to diffusing Pakistan-India tensions. Dominique de Villepin's forthcoming visit is also taking place in the time-frame when Pakistan-India bilateral talks have commenced.
During his visit, the French Foreign Minister will have detailed discussions with his counterpart Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, on international and regional issues of mutual interest and bilateral matters. He will also pay various courtesy calls on the President And the Prime Minister. Over the years, Pakistan and France have multifaceted ties, characterized by shared perceptions on major global and regional issues.
>>snip<<
France being an active member of the Paris Club and the EU besides being permanent member of the UN Security Council also plays an important role in ensuring peace and harmony in the world, especially in our region. The French Foreign Minister will arrive here on Feb 28 for the two day official visit and will be accompanied by a eight-member delegation.
The End.
http://www.paknews.com/flash.php?id=12&date1=2004-02-26"there are wheels within wheels here"
You really hit the nail on the head with that comment!
France had a big hand in getting Pakistan started with their nuclear project. Supposedly they terminated that relationship, but A.Q. Kahn named France as one of his sources for technology and equipment.
Dominique (now isn't that sweet?) is going there to (1.) harsh our relationship with Pakistan and (2.) to try to get Kahn to shut-up about France's part in the nuclear proliferation scandal.
France's foreign policy seems entirely reactionary and based solely on thwarting anything the U.S. supports. I think that kind of obsessive-neurotic behavior is adequately detailed in the DSM-IV manual of psychiatric disorders. But it is fun to watch!
--Boot Hill