France's Dodgy Deals (Editorial)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | 11th July, 2003 | Editorial

[propertius]

France's dodgy deals (Filed: 11/07/2003)

Why does the French ruling class have such a tendresse for geopolitical rough trade? The French seem to love cutting deals with the worst elements of the international system. Everyone knows about President Chirac's long-time dalliance with Ba'athist Iraq.

But less well known have been his attempts to treat with Serb nationalism. The War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague has now heard allegations that Mr Chirac agreed to sabotage the extradition of General Ratko Mladic, one of the worst of the Bosnian Serb war criminals, in exchange for the release of two French pilots captured after they were shot down over Sarajevo.

This policy can partly be explained by the legacy bequeathed to Mr Chirac by his predecessor François Mitterrand. Like so many Frenchmen of his generation, Mr Mitterrand was nurtured on stories of the brave resistance of Serbia to the Central Powers in the First World War, and therefore developed a romantic affinity for its national aspirations. Knee-jerk anti-Americanism also played its part: the Clinton administration was the greatest western supporter of providing military assistance to the embattled Bosnian government. And then there was pure commercial interest. Elements of the French armed forces took in the representatives of major Gallic construction concerns under military cover.

The evidence concerning Mr Chirac's deal-making comes from tele-phone intercepts of conversations of the Yugoslav leadership, which appear to have been supplied by western intelligence agencies. If so, they are to be commended for setting a most welcome precedent. France's allies must trigger a major debate in Paris about the nature of the foreign policy conducted over many years by its leaders.

[headsonpikes]

In my experience, whores have the facility of chatting-up just about anybody.

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[George W. Bush]

The article failes to create very many homely saints or martyrs in the present Kosovo conflict. I don't think the Serbs are quite the villains the Clinton bunch and Europe's Third-Wayers tried to portray.

I don't object to France's actions here. Much ado about nothing.