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