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Meet Merkozy - as Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel try to unite to save the euro
The Telegraph ^ | 12/3/2011 | Kim Willsher in Paris and Allan Hall in Berlin

Posted on 12/03/2011 10:25:17 PM PST by bruinbirdman

The leaders of France and Germany are developing an unlikely relationship as they battle together to save Europe's future.

He sends her wine and gives her fine French cheese. She sends him teddy-bears.

After years of antipathy verging on outright hostility, the on-off relationship of Europe's most unlikely couple looks set to be consummated this week.

Angela Merkel, 57, and Nicolas Sarkozy, 56, are currently thrashing out final pre-nuptial arrangements for the political marriage of convenience that will save the euro and possibly Europe. Tomorrow the two leaders meet again, in Paris, to see whether they can agree final terms for a closer union that could save the euro.

"Together we will make proposals to guarantee Europe's future," Mr Sarkozy said last week.

For the markets and the millions whose economic prospects depend on them, scrutinising the bumpy progress of relationship between the couple that the French press has now dubbed "Merkozy" has become crucial.

The arranged marriage, which at times resembles a shotgun wedding, will see both Germany and Francecommit, for better or for worse, to a deeper European Union and accept a greater sharing of their worldly goods through more EU federalism.

As a suitor, the French president has shown impeccable Gallic charm. Realising that his normal hand-kissing, touchy-feely approach cuts no ice with the frosty Frau Merkel, he changed tack and began sending her cases of finest Bordeaux and a respectably dry white wine.

More recently, on learning that she sometimes queues up in Galeries Lafayette the French department store in Berlin, for French cheese, he picked some up in Paris to present to her when they next met.

In return, she recently gave him a Steiff teddy bear for his newborn daughter Giulia - a more lukewarm gesture, admittedly, from the Teutonic bride-to-be.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Germany; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: europeanunion; france; germany; greece; italy; poland; spain; unitedkingdom

1 posted on 12/03/2011 10:25:21 PM PST by bruinbirdman
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To: bruinbirdman

Is anyone in touch with reality here?


2 posted on 12/03/2011 10:34:54 PM PST by Bobibutu
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To: bruinbirdman

Its incredible... these were nations that fought three wars in the past two centuries and now they’re close partners. The German-French relationship is truly a special one - maybe it will help to save Europe!


3 posted on 12/03/2011 10:42:45 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

Please define specifically what you mean by “save Europe”.


4 posted on 12/03/2011 10:58:37 PM PST by Bobibutu
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To: Bobibutu

Not sure but I think he/she means “save the euro from collapsing completely”.


5 posted on 12/03/2011 11:03:25 PM PST by SoCal SoCon (Conservatism =/= Corporatism.)
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To: goldstategop

Never mind - its late. I’m going to eat some cheese, have a glass of Bordeaux, soak in a hot tub and snuggle with my teddy bear.


6 posted on 12/03/2011 11:03:47 PM PST by Bobibutu
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To: goldstategop
"they’re close partners."

Perhaps the relationship is not so "Merkozy"?

A little levity, there. eh, eh

yitbos

7 posted on 12/03/2011 11:05:08 PM PST by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)
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To: goldstategop

They are the same PEOPLE if you go back 1000 or more years.


8 posted on 12/03/2011 11:06:05 PM PST by Waywardson (Carry on! Nothing equals the splendor!)
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To: SoCal SoCon

Is anyone in touch with reality here?

Thanks for the response tho.


9 posted on 12/03/2011 11:06:35 PM PST by Bobibutu
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To: bruinbirdman

Funny how at the very highest levels of power it comes down to stuff like wine and teddy bears. At the end of the day, life on Earth really is kind of a joke.


10 posted on 12/03/2011 11:07:47 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: Yardstick
"power it comes down to stuff like wine and teddy bears"

What did The Obammunist give The Queen?

yitbos

11 posted on 12/03/2011 11:11:25 PM PST by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)
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To: bruinbirdman

Let’s hope that Merkozy doesn’t fall victim to being malazy.


12 posted on 12/03/2011 11:50:56 PM PST by Free Vulcan (Vote Republican! You can vote Democrat when you're dead.)
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To: bruinbirdman

Very crappy article... Perhaps they are discussing their true financial liabilities.

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-23/germany-has-5-trillion-euros-of-hidden-debt-handelsblatt-says

Germany’s public debt is much higher than officially shown, Handelsblatt reported, citing calculations by Bernd Raffelhueschen, an economics professor at Freiburg University.

Apart from 2 trillion euros ($2.7 trillion) of public debt, there are liabilities of another 5 trillion euros because of shortfalls in the social security and pension funds, according to Raffelhueschen, the newspaper said.

Or perhaps Frau Merkel is beginning to understand that the Euro has only been a boon for ExportMeister Germany... for were she to return to the Mark, the currency would be too strong and place many German products out of reach.

Anyhow all that is moot. Each country should have its own currency reflecting the virtues and vices of its people. Greeks and Italians have very little in common with German and Dutch... and there’s not enough love between them to paste things over.


13 posted on 12/04/2011 1:36:32 AM PST by Youaskedforit
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To: bruinbirdman
Check the label on that teddy bear, Nic. It says something about "bedingungslose Kapitulation"
14 posted on 12/04/2011 5:27:08 AM PST by Savage Beast (Herman Cain: American Hero)
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To: bruinbirdman
I'm sure they can put things right.


15 posted on 12/04/2011 5:35:25 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: bruinbirdman

Claptrap by a National Enquirer staffer wannabe.

When you don’t understand the situation, write some garbage that you do understand and declare it to be reality. That is what kim has done


16 posted on 12/04/2011 5:48:27 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 ..... Crucifixion is coming)
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To: Cincinna; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; ...

Thanks bruinbirdman.

This is their all-in bet.


17 posted on 12/04/2011 6:48:04 AM PST by SunkenCiv (It's never a bad time to FReep this link -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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