Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

CHIRAC'S HISSY FIT - He blasts eastern Europeans over pro-American stance, warns on EU membership
Associated Press | February 17, 2003 | Paul Ames

Posted on 02/17/2003 7:04:26 PM PST by UncleSamUSA

Chirac blasts eastern Europeans over pro-American stance, warns on EU membership By PAUL AMES, Associated Press Writer

BRUSSELS, Belgium - French President Jacques Chirac launched a withering attack Monday on eastern European nations who signed letters backing the U.S. position on Iraq, warning it could jeopardize their chances of joining the European Union.

"It is not really responsible behavior," he told a news conference. "It is not well brought up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet."

Chirac was angered when EU candidates Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined pro-U.S. EU members such as Britain, Spain and Italy last month in a letter supporting Washington's line on Iraq against the more dovish stance of France and Germany.

Paris was further upset when 10 other eastern European nations signed a similar letter a few days later.

France argued that the moves aggravated splits in the 15-nation EU and backed the ideas put forward by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld who had earlier spoke of France and Germany as "old Europe" in contrast to the easterners seeking to join the EU and NATO.

"Concerning the candidate countries, honestly I felt they acted frivolously because entry into the European Union implies a minimum of understanding for the others," Chirac told reporters after an emergency EU summit on Iraq.

He warned the candidates the position could be "dangerous" because the parliaments of the 15 EU nations still have to ratify last December's decision for 10 new members to join the bloc on May 1, 2004.

Chirac particularly warned Romania and Bulgaria, who are still negotiating to enter the bloc in 2007.

"Romania and Bulgaria were particularly irresponsible to (sign the letter) when their position is really delicate," Chirac said. "If they wanted to diminish their chances of joining Europe they could not have found a better way."

Britain, Spain and other EU nations had suggested the candidate nations attend Monday's emergency summit on Iraq, but France and Germany opposed the idea.

Although Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and British Prime Minister Tony Blair were the driving forces behind the letter backing America and EU members Italy, Denmark and Portugal also signed up, Chirac saved his wrath for the candidates.

"When you're in the family you have more rights than when you're knocking on the door," he said.

Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Cyprus and Malta are set to join in May 2004. Lagging behind economically, Romania and Bulgaria were told to wait three more years.

Instead of attending the EU summit, the candidates are due to travel to Brussels Tuesday for a briefing on its outcome by Greece, which currently holds the EU presidency.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis denied they had been excluded from the summit because of their backing for Washington, insisting rules require the treaties be signed first.

"We will not discuss pro-American or anti-American positions," Simitis told a news conference. "The candidate countries will be members" soon, and "we have to proceed together."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bulgaria; chirac; chiraq; eu; romania
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last
To: UncleSamUSA
chirac has cracked!
21 posted on 02/17/2003 7:28:36 PM PST by desertcry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: desertcry
Chriac has painted himself into a small corner - his colors Anti American are showing
22 posted on 02/17/2003 7:31:32 PM PST by scooby321
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
Andrew Stuttaford on NationalReview.com had the ideal words for these comments (in part):

There is, it has to be admitted, more than a touch of the ethics of Vichy and the Occupation in Chirac's suggestion that a discreet silence might be the most appropriate way to behave in the face of a difficult political and moral challenge.

_end_

SO true. So many out there choose the Old Europe (or in our case the Clintonesque) approach to hard choices and difficult challenges - ignore it and it will go away. Thank God President Bush has the cojones to meet these challenges head on and to make the difficult choices that need to be made.
23 posted on 02/17/2003 7:32:13 PM PST by Pinch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Askel5
This is great, watching such important history being made. Old Europe, New Europe, EU, NATO, Iraq, Democracy, Tyranny, Socialism, Capitalism, America, Conservative, Liberal, war. Those are just the pre-war topics. Wait until the war starts and see what China and Russia do. George Bush has a great big bundle to handle or mishandle and to show how great of a President he could be.
24 posted on 02/17/2003 7:33:15 PM PST by Sawdring
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

Comment #25 Removed by Moderator

To: UncleSamUSA
Useful phrases to post on French websites, or irc chat rooms

Combien d'hommes français prend-il pour défendre Paris ? Réponse : Personne ne sait. Elle n'a été jamais essayée.
Est-ce que les rues de Paris garnies des arbres sont-elles ainsi les soldats allemands peuvent marcher plus confortablement à la nuance
L'euro Disney a dû arrêter les affichages de feux d'artifice parce que chaque fois que ils sont allés au loin, Chirac se rendrait aux touristes d'Allemagne.
Pouvez-vous vraiment dire un soldat français est-vous un vétéran par le coup de soleil sous ses aisselles ?
En vente : Fusils français. Presque nouveau. Seulement laissé tomber une fois dans la crainte.
La plupart des gosses français peuvent-ils tracer leur ascendance de nouveau à un grand-père allemand de la guerre mondiale 2 ?
Bonjour, fromage d'ya mangeant des singes de reddition !
Quand Le Pen et Chirac conviennent sur quelque chose. Vous savez que c'est erroné.
Oui, vous soldat allemand viril ! Les réfugiés juifs se cachent dans le sous-sol. Laissez-moi vous montrer la manière !

26 posted on 02/17/2003 7:34:20 PM PST by dogbyte12
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
bump
27 posted on 02/17/2003 7:41:53 PM PST by tophat9000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
"It is not really responsible behavior," he told a news conference. "It is not well brought up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet."

What a supercilious, pompous, patronizing piece of French cheese-scum Chirac is! The sheer audacity of referring to the other members as nothing more than CHILDREN! They ought to kick his a$$ from here to kingdom come.

28 posted on 02/17/2003 7:43:34 PM PST by DontMessWithMyCountry (It's serious business being an American in America these days.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scooby321
chirac, and most french have not learned that arrogance does not pay, when dealing with America and GB. I don't think they will ever learn, it's in their genes.
29 posted on 02/17/2003 7:45:57 PM PST by desertcry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
France and Germany are now both National Socialists. They have just redefined their "nationalism" to be multi-lingual.
30 posted on 02/17/2003 7:46:08 PM PST by Stefan Stackhouse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Stefan Stackhouse
Our true enemy has shown itself - Michael Corlene
31 posted on 02/17/2003 7:54:20 PM PST by scooby321
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
Remember Frankfurters; Now called Hotdogs?

Think about French Fries; Lets call 'em Freedom Fries!

Out

32 posted on 02/17/2003 8:41:24 PM PST by Ganndy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
Here is a quality true photograph of Jacques Chirac, Le President de France, in all his anal glory!


33 posted on 02/17/2003 8:46:47 PM PST by jws3sticks ((Hillary can take a long walk on a short pier, too!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cajungirl
#14: but I hope you will not disavow: But that's Lousianna, not French, right?
34 posted on 02/17/2003 8:57:26 PM PST by GopherIt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: cajungirl
#14: but I hope you will not disavow: 'laissez les bon temps roulez'
But that's Lousianna, not French, right?
35 posted on 02/17/2003 9:00:11 PM PST by GopherIt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Sawdring
This is great, watching such important history being made. Old Europe, New Europe, EU, NATO, Iraq, Democracy, Tyranny, Socialism, Capitalism, America, Conservative, Liberal, war. Those are just the pre-war topics. Wait until the war starts and see what China and Russia do. George Bush has a great big bundle to handle or mishandle and to show how great of a President he could be.

A most excellent observation.

36 posted on 02/17/2003 9:26:03 PM PST by St.Chuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: GopherIt
Cajuns are a different kind of French,,my brother in law is very proud that his family was kicked out of france twice,,first they went to Nova Scotia, then back to France then kicked out again to Louisiana. I think the French here hate the French as much as I do. Cajuns are americans.
37 posted on 02/18/2003 6:30:17 AM PST by cajungirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: WriteOn
It would be nice to see the god-less EU crumble early on...

Looks to me like Chirac is trying to fill the vacancy of god by setting himself up as a god-king-emperor of the EU.

38 posted on 02/18/2003 6:42:02 AM PST by Diana Rose (I hate all things french)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: jws3sticks
The French are indeed living out their own Sonnet du Trou du Cul. Who is Chirac? C'est l'olive pâmée, et la flûte caline. C'est le tube où descend la céleste praline: Chanaan féminin dans les moiteurs enclos!
39 posted on 02/18/2003 6:44:41 AM PST by chinche
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: UncleSamUSA
"Concerning the candidate countries Turkey, honestly I felt they we acted frivolously because entry into the European Union NATO implies a minimum of understanding for the others," Chirac told reporters...
40 posted on 02/18/2003 6:47:52 AM PST by Sloth (I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson