Rice offers France the hand of friendship

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 02/09/05 | Colin Randall

[Pokey78]

Condoleezza Rice negotiated the trickiest leg of her European tour as the new US Secretary of State yesterday, extending an elegant hand of friendship to France and calling for a new understanding between America and Europe.

Before meeting President Jacques Chirac at the Elysée Palace, Miss Rice used her first major speech in office to insist that it was time to "turn away from past disagreements".

"America stands ready to work with Europe on our common agenda and Europe must stand ready to work with America," she said.

Miss Rice chose the elite academic setting of Paris's Sciences Politiques university to deliver a conciliatory message, stressing the need to consign the quarrels of the past two years to the past. But she said little to suggest that behind the charm offensive was anything but steely resolve on the part of the Bush administration to maintain its chosen course on world events.

The catchy formula attributed to the former US National Security Adviser - "punish France, ignore Germany, forgive Russia" - over the war in Iraq appears to have been forgotten and France now seems keen to repair the damage.

However Mr Chirac enjoys popular support for his opposition to the war. A poll conducted for the German Marshall Fund, published this week, said 65 per cent of French people disapproved of a strong US role on the world stage.

In her speech Miss Rice addressed a number of European concerns, promising American support for a "strong" United Nations and describing "ideas, compassion and hope" as even more important in spreading democracy than military and economic power.

Miss Rice said it was no secret that America and France had "sometimes disagreed about how to proceed on a common agenda". But she identified Afghanistan, Lebanon and the struggle against terrorism among issues on which the countries had co-operated and said Franco-US relations were at times "better in practice than in theory".

"I think we are going to have a kind of rebirth of energy, in the US-French and the US-European relationship," she said. French officials may have hoped that Mr Chirac's proposed US visit to speed the bridge-building process could have taken place before he meets President George W Bush in Brussels later this month.

But Miss Rice sought to reassure her audience that America welcomed "growing unity" within Europe and considered that it had "everything to gain from having a strong Europe as a partner in building a safer and better world".

[popdonnelly]

And what is Barbara Boxer doing tonight?

[Almondjoy]

Will be all cozy and friends until it's time for war with Iran.

[SF Republican]

One can wonder of the irony which is dripping from the phrase: A poll conducted for the German Marshall Fund. Would there be any connection to the Marshall Plan?

[Czar]

I like "...punish France... much better. To be fair, circumstances change and Bush may have altered course on France for valid reasons involving America's best interests. My policy on France, however, will not change. Anything French will continue to be banned around here.

[Capriole]

Hey, Colin, you ill-mannered brute, that's Doctor Rice, not Miss Rice.

[PeterFinn]

"Rice offers France the hand of friendship"

Hope she washes up right after.

[planekT]

"Rice offers France the hand of friendship "

I just wanted to make sure she still had her hand.

[QQQQQ]

"extending an elegant hand of friendship to France"


Any guess about how long, before the French will bite the hand extended to them in friendship?

My guess is about 2.5 minutes, we just haven't found out about it yet.

[ml1954]

Did she also give them back the knife they stuck in Colin Powell's back?

This is all for show. We are again on a collision course with France over Iran. The French never change. They're in full 1930's appeasement mode.

[swilhelm73]

Well, Powell took the word of the French over the Iraq war, namely that they would abstain in an UNSC vote and nothing more, and we see were that got us...

[jonrick46]

"But she said little to suggest that behind the charm offensive was anything but steely resolve on the part of the Bush administration to maintain its chosen course on world events."

Such a sexist comment from a journalist who would have been tarred and feathered in his liberal journalism school for such a remark. This is an example of the liberty the left is able to take as they write about the Right (especially the Bush Administration). However when used anywhere else it would cause instant termination of employment if it were from a conservative (I cite the University of Colorado Professor Ward Churchill vs. Rush Limbaugh as an example).

It is a matter of fact that all diplomats put on a good face while promoting their country's agenda with "steel resolve." That is what their country pays them for.

[sarasmom]

Ditto.
And if the Europeans ever actually become "United", and still include France....

[cyborg]

Muttering to herself.

[Porterville]

I'd like to offer france the one finger salute.

[cyborg]

:o)

[Paul_Denton]

The EU wants to lift the China Arms embargo!? We need to be targeting nukes at them.

[dervish]

Why???

[Ciexyz]

Why does the writer call her "Miss" Rice? It's like nails grating on a chalkboard.
Why not use her title, Dr. Rice?

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

Republique Francaise?

I probably would have given it the greeting reserved for less notable dignitaries that visited New York City during the Giuliani administration.