Posted on 06/28/2004 10:31:08 AM PDT by Pikamax
New French-US chill as Chirac slams Bush over Turkey's EU bid
28 June 2004 ATTENTION -, ADDS details, background /// Newly warmed Franco-US relations went suddenly cold again Monday when French President Jacques Chirac said George W. Bush had "gone too far" in supporting Turkey's bid to join the European Union.
Chirac's reprimand also dampened the atmosphere at a two-day NATO summit where leaders sought to present a united front after divisions over Iraq provoked the worst crisis in the 55-year history of the Western alliance.
The French president said that Bush had "gone too far" in remarks he made during a visit to the Turkish capital, Ankara, before the summit.
Bush, as part of attempts to repair the damage done to relations with Turkey by last year's US-led invasion of Iraq, publicly said before talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday:
"I will remind the people of this good country that you ought to be given a date by the EU for your eventual acceptance into the EU."
He described Turkey as "a country which embraces democracy and rule of law and freedom" and an example for other Muslim states to follow.
"Not only did he go too far, he ventured into territory which is not his concern," Chirac told a news conference on the sidelines of a two-day summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation here.
"It would be like me telling the United States how to run its affairs with Mexico," he added.
Turkey, a formal candidate of the newly enlarged 25-strong bloc since 1999, is keen for the go-ahead to begin membership talks with the bloc when EU leaders meet in December to assess its progress in democracy and human rights.
Turkey argues that it has met most of the criteria required to begin membership talks, but Brussels has said it must also see the reforms properly implemented.
Relations between France and the United States hit freezing point last year when Chirac led opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq by publicly threatening to veto a UN Security Council resolution to authorize it.
They began to thaw when Chirac greeted Bush at ceremonies in Normandy on June 6 to commemorate the 1944 D-Day landings and said France had adopted the young American soldiers who died there as its own sons.
And they positively warmed after France joined the rest of the UN Security Council in voting for Resolution 1546 on June 8 which endorsed the new interim Iraqi government that took over from the US-led occupation force on Monday.
But the personal irritation between Chirac and Bush was never far away and was evident when the French leader was the only participant at this month's G8 meeting in Georgia to ignore Bush's invitation to dress informally.
Although Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement party (UMP) has said it opposes Turkish entry into the EU, the French leader said in April that he favoured Ankara's eventual accession.
But, speaking days before the EU's historic expansion to embrace 10 mostly former communist countries, Chirac warned that Turkey had not yet met the conditions to join.
"I believe that Turkey has a European vocation. But the conditions for its entry are not fulfilled today," he said.
He nevertheless said Turkey "has always been associated with European civilisation," and was an "important and loyal member of the Atlantic alliance."
"Mr. Pot, I believe you know Mr. Kettle."
Exactly my sentiments.
So typical of brainless liberals. Hypocrisy is their ONLY way of life.
No, Chirac, it is not like telling the US how to run it's affairs with Mexico. It is like you telling Mexico how to run it's affairs with the US, which you have done on numerous occasions, no doubt.
Cheney's F is really coming in handy......Leahy, Kerry, Chiraque.
lol. the french...
I wish that Bush would remind Chirac about all those African countries that he sent Villepin to, to promote pro-Saddam, anti-American votes in the UN.
I was just wondering the same thing.
And why would he think we couldn't say whatever we want........we are members of NATO, aren't we?
"I don't know if he has tried to tell us how to manage our affairs with Mexico, but he sure can't keep his mouth shut when it comes to our affairs with Iraq."
Interesting, shackchirac would use "Mexico", maybe he let it slip he is getting ready to occupy them and their "oil".
Sounds like a veiled threat.
Somebody needs to put that pompus little pissant in his place. At the next state dinner he needs to be seated at the kids table and to be told to shut-up when grown up nations are talking.
Well, cuz this is about EU, not NATO. I'd actually like to know what GWB policy is on this issue and why, fwiw.
Re Chirac: My heart breaks over the loss of our "close ally and good friend's" approval of Bush and America's actions/sarcasm
No shit. Those hoseheads always comment on our internal politics if they don't meet their Euroscum standards.
Not to be confused with Chirac's arrogant attempt to tell President Bush how far he could and could not go to protect his country.
M. Chirac seems to have forgotten himself. President Bush made those remarks prior to the NATO meeting in Turkey, a country where we have a vested interest. Unlike France, the United States holds a full membership in NATO. Furthermore, NATO has welcomed new countries into the alliance due in part to the leadership of President Bush.
I still think that Turkey becoming a member of the EU is a slow form of national suicide, though, with the inevitable loss of national sovereignty. As things stand, Turkey would merely be a source of raw materials and cheap labor, and a market for manufactured goods and capital. EU membership would develop Turkish underdevelopment, instead of building up the Turkish political economy.
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