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Last goodbye for Blair and Chirac | Last goodbye for Blair and Chirac |
(20 minutes later) | |
Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair has visited Paris to say farewell to outgoing French president and political adversary, Jacques Chirac. | Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair has visited Paris to say farewell to outgoing French president and political adversary, Jacques Chirac. |
Mr Blair and Mr Chirac have disagreed regularly on EU matters over the years but greeted each other warmly on the Elysee Palace steps. | Mr Blair and Mr Chirac have disagreed regularly on EU matters over the years but greeted each other warmly on the Elysee Palace steps. |
Their biggest falling out came when Mr Blair allied with Washington over Iraq. | Their biggest falling out came when Mr Blair allied with Washington over Iraq. |
Mr Blair also held talks with French President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy, who takes power on 16 May. | Mr Blair also held talks with French President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy, who takes power on 16 May. |
The meeting was Mr Sarkozy's first with a foreign leader and was expected to be followed by a private dinner. | |
During the talks they were joined by Francois Fillon, expected to be named next week as Mr Sarkozy's prime minister, and British ambassador to France, Peter Westmacott. | |
Previously, Mr Sarkozy expressed his personal admiration for Tony Blair and his political style, as well as for his government's economic record. | |
On one of his last visits to Britain, Mr Sarkozy visited a job centre to see how the UK dealt with unemployment. | On one of his last visits to Britain, Mr Sarkozy visited a job centre to see how the UK dealt with unemployment. |
I am tempted to say that Sarkozy is currently the most successful Blairite around BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell Europe diary: Blair's friends | I am tempted to say that Sarkozy is currently the most successful Blairite around BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell Europe diary: Blair's friends |
He has made the fight against joblessness his top priority for France. | He has made the fight against joblessness his top priority for France. |
The main subject of Mr Blair and Mr Sarkozy's talks was expected to be Europe and the future of the EU Constitutional Treaty - which France scuppered by voting against, in its referendum two years ago. | The main subject of Mr Blair and Mr Sarkozy's talks was expected to be Europe and the future of the EU Constitutional Treaty - which France scuppered by voting against, in its referendum two years ago. |
Mr Sarkozy wants, instead, a pragmatic form of mini-treaty, pared down to its bare essentials, to be voted through national parliaments rather than risk another referendum. | Mr Sarkozy wants, instead, a pragmatic form of mini-treaty, pared down to its bare essentials, to be voted through national parliaments rather than risk another referendum. |
However, Britain and France still disagree on some areas, not least over Turkish membership of the EU, which Britain favours and Mr Sarkozy remains firmly against. | However, Britain and France still disagree on some areas, not least over Turkish membership of the EU, which Britain favours and Mr Sarkozy remains firmly against. |
The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is working on a roadmap towards a new treaty to be discussed at the European Council meeting in late June. | The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is working on a roadmap towards a new treaty to be discussed at the European Council meeting in late June. |
She is not expected to meet the new French president for talks until after 16 May. | She is not expected to meet the new French president for talks until after 16 May. |