they kiss and make up

[gold eagle]

this newsline today -

Attempting to mend fences, France's finance minister on Sunday took U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow on a tour of Normandy beaches and said differences between the two countries over Iraq cannot hurt traditional ties.

The visit to the beaches where thousands of American soldiers lost their lives to liberate France from Nazi occupiers followed a two-day Group of Eight meeting with monetary officials from the world's wealthiest countries and Russia.

The loss of life ``demonstrates that 50 years later, relations that are so tight cannot, and will not, ever be ruptured,'' French Finance Minister Francis Mer said.

Mer and Snow also sought to move beyond differences over Iraq to work together to spur global economic growth at the G8 meetings at the seaside resort of Deauville.

The two were regularly seen sharing warm handshakes, smiles and pats on the back - in contrast to the harsh exchange of words between Washington and Paris after France refused to back the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

credit to kim Housego, Associated Press, carried by AOL link




I'm gratified to see at least some genuine attempts to patch up this complex and important relationship. It might be said that there were matters of real import to both sides, but I prefer to see people get along rather than quarrel. For countries, it is an imperative.

JMHO

[FrameWork]

I still dont see Chirac coming out to the ranch anytime soon, if you know what i mean.

[darkes]

Same thing happening with Germany as well.

I think France & Germany realised that the way they opposed the Iraq war gave extreme offence to the US, as it came across as very anti American, rather than as a matter of principle.

Some countries in Europe were in favour & some were against (about a 50/50 split).
Most of those who were against (e.g. Belguim) just said that they didn't agree, and left it at that. France, however, made it very clear that most of the reasons it had for opposing the war were because it was taking an anti American stance, which is very popular with the French electorate.

From a economic perspective France & Germany have to maintain good trading links with the US, which is why they are trying to rebuild relations. The same thing is not necessarily the case the other way round, as the US could shift a lot of its trade to other European countries.

I have a feeling there will be lingering resentment in Washington for some time - who knows how this will pan out?

[FrameWork]

I have a feeling there will be lingering resentment in Washington for some time - who knows how this will pan out?

The only people in Washington who are showing any type of support (very little) for the French are the democrat's, to be more specific the liberal's. Even then it's scarce to see anyone who gives a damn about the French at the moment. It's one thing to not be for the war and to vote against it, it's another to go out of your way to make it difficult on us. Everytime the French are brought up in a conversation over here all you will get is scoff's and jokes. I think the French overplayed their hand in their opposition to the war, and American's have memories like elephant's and this will remain fresh in most American's minds for quite awhile. I can forgive fairly easily, but my brethren wont soon forget.

[darkes]

Originally posted here by FrameWork


The only people in Washington who are showing any type of support (very little) for the French are the democrat's, to be more specific the liberal's. Even then it's scarce to see anyone who gives a damn about the French at the moment. It's one thing to not be for the war and to vote against it, it's another to go out of your way to make it difficult on us. Everytime the French are brought up in a conversation over here all you will get is scoff's and jokes. I think the French overplayed their hand in their opposition to the war, and American's have memories like elephant's and this will remain fresh in most American's minds for quite awhile. I can forgive fairly easily, but my brethren wont soon forget.

The attitude of the French to foreign affairs is not popular in the UK, as most people realise they are taking an untenable position on most issues. France is the only country in the EU not to have fully joined NATO.

France can still throw its weight arround, as due to a serious anomaly on the security council of the UN , France is still able to veto any resolution. One of the top 5 military/economic powers in the wrold? - No, I don't think so

[FrameWork]

France is the only country in the EU not to have fully joined NATO.

Your right, but it's odd though, cause they chose not to. I wonder if they envisioned an EU down the road and forsaw some future commitments.

[KorpDeath]

Look, we'll still be political friends, that as far as I can see was never in joepardy. But I happen to know that many American's have chosen not to do business with the French for whatever reason and that in the long will hurt France. So they can kiss and try to make up all they want but irregardless of those "gestures" I think many Americans feel that the French have a price to pay first.

I, on the other hand, am going to buy some stock in a very large French company because it has business merit and I'm not jaded by newly found patriotism. I know that we would do what we have to do with or without any help from anyone. That's just the way it's going to have to be sometimes.

[FrameWork]

The French are already feeling the heat though.

© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

How long did it take for what many see as France's diplomatic back-stabbing of the U.S. and Great Britain on Iraq to hurt the nation's tourism industry?

Not very long.

After 14 years in second place, Spain has replaced France as the United Kingdom's favorite holiday destination.

A loss of 300,000 visitors to France and a 25 percent drop in bookings in a month is the reason, reports the Scotsman.

The French president's anti-war stance and the "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" factor in the United States has also caused a decline in the number of U.S. tourists. Tension between the UK and France increased two weeks ago when protesters desecrated a cemetery in northern France, vandalizing memorials with graffiti.

Travelers are actively boycotting France, according to Holidaylets.net, which has 2,000 homes to rent.


Travel to Paris off sharply in recent months

Internet searches for France have dropped significantly, according to Ross Hugo, the managing director, who said his sales teams have indicated French attitudes, and the incident involving Second World War graves had hardened attitudes.

"Our understanding is that this [drop] is due to political tensions," he added.

Around 12.6 million Britons have visited Spain in the last year while visits to France fell to 11.7 million from more than 12 million. Owen Davies, the marketing director of the Individual Travelers' Company, said: "Spain has held up well but France is down."

A spokeswoman for the French tourist office in London admitted UK bookings were "sluggish" and that there had been a downturn in U.S. visitors.

But some British companies are describing the "downturn" as a drastic decline.

And Chez Nous, a leading seller of French accommodation, has had cancellations since the war began, where customers said French President Jacques Chirac's "obstruction" was the reason.

[gold eagle]

stock in a big french company? I'm curious now.

[fourdc]

This is reminiscent of the bombing attack on Libya during Ronald Reagan's presidency. The planes flying from the UK had to fly around France and Spain and come in through Gibraltar.

People were pissed at the French for that too. However Francois Mitterand was a better statesman than Chirac, and was able to smooth things out.