Posted on 01/12/2005 9:37:52 AM PST by areafiftyone
PARIS (Reuters) - France called for a new start to relations with the United States on Wednesday after a long chill over the Iraq war and said the countries' leaders should talk more often.
Foreign Minister Michel Barnier made transatlantic relations a priority in a speech outlining his goals in 2005. His comments echoed overtures to Washington by President Jacques Chirac and followed signs that President Bush wants better ties.
"I think 2005 should mark a new start in our relations, between the United States and France and between the United States and Europe," he told reporters gathered at the Foreign Ministry for the minister's traditional New Year greetings.
Barnier, who visited Washington last month, said relations should be based on "listening to each other, having a more regular dialogue and mutual respect." He has said he planned to visit the United States every three to four months.
"I think the NATO summit will be one of the occasions to enter into these new, constructive relations between Europe and the United States," Barnier said, referring to Bush's planned visit to NATO and the European Union on Feb. 22.
U.S.-French relations deteriorated sharply over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but both presidents have signaled they want to make a new start during Bush's second term and are due to hold talks in Washington in the next few weeks.
Chirac sent Bush a warm personal greeting last week before the U.S. president is sworn in for a second term on Jan. 20. and proposed they work together to make 2005 a year of transatlantic trust and unity.
No date has been set for Chirac's Washington visit but it is expected just before or after Bush's trip to Europe. U.S. officials say both sides want to look ahead, not back.
Strains have also emerged at times in U.S. relations with the EU under Bush, including over Iraq and trade. They averted a legal clash over rivals Airbus and Boeing on Tuesday, agreeing to talks on eliminating subsidies fed to the two plane makers.
DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ
In his speech, Barnier highlighted France's support for the transition to a stable democracy in Iraq on the eve of talks between Chirac and Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar.
France hopes the visit will help put relations with Baghdad on a new footing after months of strains. It should have taken place last September but was postponed after the kidnap of two French journalists in Iraq. They were freed last month.
"Despite the violence, despite the dangers, this year should be the year of transition toward a calm situation in which the Iraqi people must regain full control of their sovereignty and destiny with the departure of foreign troops," Barnier said.
He is due to meet Yawar on Friday.
Barnier's other priorities were efforts to secure a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, stability in the Balkans and efforts to convince French voters to back the European Constitution in a referendum.
Barnier is expected to make a series of trips within France as part of efforts to explain the constitution to voters and boost the chances of it being approved in the referendum, which Chirac says will be held some time before the summer.
The treaty, intended to make the EU function more smoothly after its expansion, needs the backing of all 25 member states.
There, that ought to shut them up!
You got that right!
BUMP
I'm sure that is precisely the case.
Monday night I was watching "The Bachelorette" and one of the guys vying for the girl is French. She let him stay and I thought, "Come on, girl, you've got better taste than that." Then they showed scenes from future episodes, and as the competition grows fiercer the other guys start ganging up on Frenchie. That should be very interesting.
I'll bet GWB had to have a major shower after this picture was taken! No telling what kind of creepy stuff Chirac has!
F:oolish
R:epublic of
A:theism
N:ihilism
C:ommunism and
E:xcrement
Bush may need therapy after that "touch" from chIRAQ. How the man does it without cracking I will never know.
Have the Germans turned on them?
Seems to me that France is scared of something.
Perhaps it realizes that without the US it wont be able to free itself from the future occupation of the Islamo-Nazis.
Fry them!
I'm sure there is something going on that has got the Froggies all worried and messing in their drawers. Leave 'em to their fate this time, we wasted our blood and lives for them too many times!
"Fry them!"
LOL! Being from Virginia, I would favor the traditional Southern method of breading them up thoroughly then frying, using bacon fat or lard (sorry, I know that isn't kosher) in a big cast iron skillet.
Let's just skip to the chase. What do they want this time?
I'd watch O'Reilly to see this.
So would I! I'm not the greatest fan of O'Reilly, but I know he'd jump on this latest French BS faster than Klinton on Monica. And he'd tell the Frenchies off in no uncertain terms.
Their only caveat is that all talks be in French, and that we pronounce everything correctly according to the rules of the French Academy of Linguistic Purity.
For example, "surrender" is "reddition."
France is not to be trusted at any time, on any issue. The British have learned this over 1,000 years of acrimonious history, but it still comes as a shock to see how badly the French can behave, with their unique mixture of shortsighted selfishness, long-term irresponsibility, impudent humbug and sheer malice. Americans are still finding out--the hard way--that loyalty, gratitude, comradeship and respect for treaty obligations are qualities never exhibited by French governments. All they recognize are interests, real or imaginary. French support always has to be bought. What the Americans and British now have to decide is whether formal alliances that include France as a major partner are worth anything at all, or if they are an actual encumbrance in times of danger.(Magisterial) British Historian Paul Johnson
Five Vital Lessons From Iraq
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.