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| François Hollande expected to get 'super red-carpet' treatment on US state visit | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| America is expected to roll out the red carpet for François Hollande on Monday as the president becomes the first French leader to make a state visit for nearly two decades. | America is expected to roll out the red carpet for François Hollande on Monday as the president becomes the first French leader to make a state visit for nearly two decades. |
| The three-day visit, which includes a black-tie dinner at the White House and a trip in the presidential plane Air Force One, is seen as evidence of the close ties between the US and France. | The three-day visit, which includes a black-tie dinner at the White House and a trip in the presidential plane Air Force One, is seen as evidence of the close ties between the US and France. |
| As well as talks with Barack Obama, who has hosted only six state dinners since he took office in 2009, Hollande will visit Silicon Valley and have lunch with the heads of key new technology and social networking companies. | As well as talks with Barack Obama, who has hosted only six state dinners since he took office in 2009, Hollande will visit Silicon Valley and have lunch with the heads of key new technology and social networking companies. |
| He will also tour the francophile president Thomas Jefferson's house in Charlottesville, Virginia. However, unusually, he will not address Congress. Both the White House and the Elysée insist this is due to a lack of time. | He will also tour the francophile president Thomas Jefferson's house in Charlottesville, Virginia. However, unusually, he will not address Congress. Both the White House and the Elysée insist this is due to a lack of time. |
| In San Francisco, Hollande will meet Eric Schmidt, the head of Google, and the Facebook chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, as well as representatives from Twitter and Mozilla. | In San Francisco, Hollande will meet Eric Schmidt, the head of Google, and the Facebook chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, as well as representatives from Twitter and Mozilla. |
| Hollande is reportedly planning to voice concerns about data protection and the "tax optimisation" schemes of major internet companies such as Google. Last week Google was reportedly hit with a €1bn bill in unpaid taxes by the French fiscal authorities. | Hollande is reportedly planning to voice concerns about data protection and the "tax optimisation" schemes of major internet companies such as Google. Last week Google was reportedly hit with a €1bn bill in unpaid taxes by the French fiscal authorities. |
| Officials say, however, that relations between the two countries are "excellent" despite revelations last year that American intelligence agencies had been snooping on the French and other Europeans. | Officials say, however, that relations between the two countries are "excellent" despite revelations last year that American intelligence agencies had been snooping on the French and other Europeans. |
| And the criticism will not be all one way. Hollande is sure to face hard questions from Silicon Valley firms about France's high taxes for companies and what are seen as business-unfriendly economic policies. | And the criticism will not be all one way. Hollande is sure to face hard questions from Silicon Valley firms about France's high taxes for companies and what are seen as business-unfriendly economic policies. |
| The visit will also be dogged by continued interest in Hollande's private life. The president was originally due to fly to the US with his partner Valérie Trierweiler, but the couple split after it was revealed Hollande had been secretly visiting an actor. | |
| Le Monde said the American president would roll out the "super-red carpet" for his French counterpart. "Europe is back," it declared. The last French president to undertake a state visit was Jacques Chirac, who visited Bill Clinton in 1996. | Le Monde said the American president would roll out the "super-red carpet" for his French counterpart. "Europe is back," it declared. The last French president to undertake a state visit was Jacques Chirac, who visited Bill Clinton in 1996. |
| "The French president will have the right to a favourable treatment as good as the English special relationship," it wrote. | "The French president will have the right to a favourable treatment as good as the English special relationship," it wrote. |
| However, it said: "The official message risks being constantly obscured by the affair of the president's private life. The split between François Hollande and his first lady has much amused the Americans and amazed political communicators (how does a president improve his press after having gone over the wall with a motorcycle helmet on his head)." | However, it said: "The official message risks being constantly obscured by the affair of the president's private life. The split between François Hollande and his first lady has much amused the Americans and amazed political communicators (how does a president improve his press after having gone over the wall with a motorcycle helmet on his head)." |
| "At least the visit isn't going unnoticed," said Le Monde. | "At least the visit isn't going unnoticed," said Le Monde. |
| Last week, an opinion poll showed nearly three-quarters of those asked believed Hollande represented them well abroad. A majority thought his private problems had no negative effect on his image. |