Posted on 06/09/2004 8:29:29 AM PDT by kattracks
Perhaps too busy still mourning the loss of his business partner Saddam Hussein, chief French quisling Jacques Chirac is not only refusing to attend former President Ronald Reagan's funeral on Friday, his government doesn't even list a representative who will attend.Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder are the only G-8 leaders who have confirmed plans to attend. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected as well, along with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Prince Charles.
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin says he will not attend and is sending Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson. Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney is expected.
Others on the list for the ceremony include former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Irish President Mary McAleese, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Romanian President Ion Iliescu, Acting Lithuanian President Arturas Paulauskas, former Polish President Lech Walesa, former Finnish President Mauno Koivisto, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Australian Governor General Maj. Gen. Michael Jeffrey, former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, Slovakian President Rudolf Schuster, Grenadan Governor General Sir Daniel Williams, former Danish Prime Minister Poul Schlueter, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Lars Engqvist and Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh.
Will France send a representative in lieu of Chirac?
Of course they forgot about it. This was a positive moment, not a negative one. I'm just so fed up with mainstream media. Nancy has a lot of class, and they don't.
It's too bad these ba$tards aren't speaking German instead of French
By his own choice, Chirac's peevishness has put him on the outside looking in as the world leaders honor President Reagan. May he stay there.
BTW, add me to the long list of those glad to see you back
DITTO!
Okay, technically you're right. We'll see if France sends anybody, period. After their refusal to let us use their airspace years ago, we should have just washed our hands of them.
Besides, Lady Thatcher might tear up, too. She lost a dear, dear friend, a political soul mate. How wonderful for both Britain and the US, that they were on the world stage simultaneously.
Yeah that trip from Georgia to D.C. is a real bitch by air. Best let him get back to France to lilly pad hop with the other disgusting frogs.
The same article says Blair hasn't committed yet, so it's likely the French just haven't finalized their plans.
The same article doesn't seem aware that former Canadian Prime Minister will offer a eulogy.
I don't like being jerked around, even when it's by a right leaning "friendly" publication.
Chretien is no longer the Canadian PM but the current one (Paul Martin) is also not attending because he is fighting for his political life at the moment in the middle of an election campaign which is very short and will be over in a few weeks. In actual fact the Canadian Governor General is attending and she is above the PM protocol wise. I also think former PM Brian Mulroney will also attend.
That's right. Thanks for reminding me of that particular moment of French treachery.
former Canadian Prime Minister Mulroney.
I suspect Kerry's figured out that the election is GW's to lose, not his to win.
snicker I sure wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of President Bush's ire and wit. I am sure he made the little french man feel totally insignificant, and therefore Chirac needs to go home and pout.
My french boycott (which I was discussing with dinner guests last night) continues unabated.
Who cares? Just look at the names on this list, this is an amazing list. Chirac's absence will not be felt. Although I do think it pretty much negates all the garbage he was spewing Sunday (at the D-Day ceremony) about the great friendship between the US and France.
Who wants the Frog there anyway?
My, my, imagine how the French would view their hapless leader were they to lose their permanent seat on the council. he'd be out of a job asap. Humiliation personified. Oh, Fox News just said that Chirac says he has 'prior committments', that's why he won't be attending the funeral.
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