Paris meeting boosts Franco-British links
By Henry Samuel in Paris
12/05/2007
The Telegraph
Tony Blair became the first foreign leader to see the newly-elected French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, when the two men met yesterday in Paris.
The outgoing British prime minister meets the newly-elected French president in Paris
The pair, who held talks at Mr Sarkozy's temporary offices and then dined together, are said to have focused on next month's EU summit in Brussels, where the future of the constitutional treaty will be discussed.
Mr Sarkozy, 52, who will officially become president on Wednesday when Jacques Chirac stands down, wants a mini-treaty to replace the one rejected in French and Dutch referendums in 2005. British officials said that Mr Blair backs the idea of a simplified treaty, but that they have differences over what should be kept from the original text.
On a personal level, the two men both admitted to being "on the same wavelength", and a diplomatic source said Mr Sarkozy was simply keen to "pick his brains".
"There is a lot that Blair can tell Sarkozy that can help him in his first 100 days," the source said.
"Sarkozy is really interested in Blair and sees him as an important world and European figure."
A French diplomatic source cited in Le Monde described the visit, which he said was on Mr Blair's initiative, as "an act of friendship but diplomatically significant".
By tradition, a new French president begins by meeting his German counterpart [[you always meet your master first]]. Mr Sarkozy has often said that he would like to give more weight to Franco-British relations. However, his first meeting in an official capacity will be with Chancellor Angela Merkel next week.
Mr Blair was also expected to brief Mr Sarkozy about prime minister-elect Gordon Brown (who's much more against the EU than Blair is), who is reputed to have deep reservations about the EU project.
telegraph.co.uk
By Henry Samuel in Paris
12/05/2007
The Telegraph
Tony Blair became the first foreign leader to see the newly-elected French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, when the two men met yesterday in Paris.
The outgoing British prime minister meets the newly-elected French president in Paris
The pair, who held talks at Mr Sarkozy's temporary offices and then dined together, are said to have focused on next month's EU summit in Brussels, where the future of the constitutional treaty will be discussed.
Mr Sarkozy, 52, who will officially become president on Wednesday when Jacques Chirac stands down, wants a mini-treaty to replace the one rejected in French and Dutch referendums in 2005. British officials said that Mr Blair backs the idea of a simplified treaty, but that they have differences over what should be kept from the original text.
On a personal level, the two men both admitted to being "on the same wavelength", and a diplomatic source said Mr Sarkozy was simply keen to "pick his brains".
"There is a lot that Blair can tell Sarkozy that can help him in his first 100 days," the source said.
"Sarkozy is really interested in Blair and sees him as an important world and European figure."
A French diplomatic source cited in Le Monde described the visit, which he said was on Mr Blair's initiative, as "an act of friendship but diplomatically significant".
By tradition, a new French president begins by meeting his German counterpart [[you always meet your master first]]. Mr Sarkozy has often said that he would like to give more weight to Franco-British relations. However, his first meeting in an official capacity will be with Chancellor Angela Merkel next week.
Mr Blair was also expected to brief Mr Sarkozy about prime minister-elect Gordon Brown (who's much more against the EU than Blair is), who is reputed to have deep reservations about the EU project.
telegraph.co.uk