As ‘Old Europe’ anticipates President Obama’s first visit, jockeying over what E.U. leader will be at the head of the European spear is in high gear. In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy has been lobbying for months to be to chief interlocutor with the new American administration, and this editorial from Le Figaro explains what he’s been up to and why his activities are bearing fruit.
For Le Figaro, Pierre Rousselin writes in part:
“France will not let the historic moment that the arrival of Barack Obama to White House represents fall by the wayside. [President] Nicolas Sarkozy has established himself as the indispensible interlocutor with new American administration … The ‘new European voluntarism [willingness to take part]’ which Sarkozy wants to embody, the efficacy of which he proved during the French presidency of the E.U., remains intact. Seeking assistance to balance out the poisonous heritage left by Bush, the Americans will not neglect such support.”
Editorial by Pierre Rousselin
Translated By L. McKenzie Zeiss
February 9, 2009
France – Le Figaro – Original Article (French)
France will not let the historic moment that the arrival of Barack Obama to White House represents fall by the wayside. [President] Nicolas Sarkozy has established himself as the indispensible interlocutor with new American administration while in Washington, international relations are being reviewed from top to bottom.
The security conference in Munich last weekend was the occasion of the first transatlantic contact. The president of the Republic took advantage of it to present himself as the head of the line [leading head of state] for the Old Continent, which is determined to play its full role on the international scene.
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