Poland Lashes Out at France; "What Gaul!"

The French President's words in Brussels have caused the most serious friction for years in Paris-Warsaw relations and the largest eruption of anti-French comments in Poland.

At a press conference following the European Union's extraordinary summit devoted to the Iraq crisis Feb. 17, Jacques Chirac criticized the pro-American policy pursued by Central European EU candidate countries. "They lost a good opportunity to be quiet... they acted somewhat recklessly, did not demonstrate good manners... their behavior was infantile," said Chirac, adding that this might obstruct the ratification of the Accession Treaty, as "European public opinion" in the countries of the Fifteen looks askance at this kind of policy.

Delegations from the countries attacked by Chirac were not present at the summit in Brussels, as France and Germany did not agree to invite EU candidate states, despite proposals put forward by, among others, Great Britain and Spain. The criticism voiced by Chirac was caused first of all by the "Letter of Eight," signed Jan. 29 by prime ministers of the following five EU countries: Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain and Italy, and of three EU candidate countries: Poland, Slovakia and Hungary; one day later, the letter was also signed by retiring Czech President Vaclav Havel. The letter, a declaration of solidarity with Washington's policy, triggered many sharply critical comments both in France and Germany. "When you are in the family, you have more rights," said Chirac, when the fact was brought to his attention that the heads of governments of five EU countries also signed the letter. On the following day in Warsaw, French Defense Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie used the same rhetoric, comparing the candidate countries to a "daughter-in-law, only about to enter the family."

"In Europe, there are no better ones and worse ones; there are no children, or states too immature for partnership," said Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs W³odzimierz Cimoszewicz in Brussels Feb. 18, stressing that the idea of certain countries having more of a say is unacceptable.

Cimoszewicz's response was one of the mildest of those provoked in Poland. A majority of politicians and commentators reserved much sharper criticism for Chirac. The French president's earlier controversial statements were cited, including from Moscow last year, when Chirac, without prior consultation with any of the states concerned, reassured President Vladimir Putin that in the future the newly admitted EU member countries-or Poland and Lithuania-would not introduce visas for Russian citizens living in Kaliningrad district. It was also remembered that France was partly responsible for the Polish state finding itself in the Soviet camp for half a century in the wake of World War II. Charles de Gaulle was the first among the leaders of Western superpowers to officially recognize Boles³aw Bierut's Moscow-installed government, thus substantially helping Joseph Stalin in his political objective vis-á-vis Poland.

"France is not a pacifist country... it loves war-provided it is the country that is heading it," said Marek Siwiec, the head of presidential National Security Office (BBN), commenting on Paris's stance on the Iraq crisis.

Voicing their feelings concerning Chirac's threats over Poland's accession to the EU, both Polish Chief Negotiator Jan Truszczyñski and Minister for European Integration Danuta Hübner reacted calmly, expressing the hope that these words were effected by emotion. Hübner also pointed out that the content of the "Letter of Eight" did not conflict with the decisions made earlier in Brussels in discussions over EU foreign policy.

Politicians from other countries aspiring to the EU also voiced their criticism of Chirac. Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, a signatory of the "Letter of Eight," said that his country was fully entitled to participate in formulating a common European policy. Deputy Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Lubomir Ivanov said that Chirac's words were yet another form of pressure exerted on Central European countries by Paris. Romania's President Ion Iliescu described Chirac's words as "completely out of line."

Some Western European politicians described Chirac's behavior in an unambiguously critical manner. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who had earlier strove in vain to invite representatives of EU candidate countries to the Brussels summit, said that endeavoring to deprive any state of its voice is a serious political mistake. European Parliament President Pat Cox shared Blair's opinion. Chirac's words were received most bluntly by Chris Patten, EU commissioner for external contacts, who said that "the European Union is no Warsaw Pact."

It is obvious that the sane countries realize the dangers of the French. The French have declared war on sanity and what is right. They have armed one of the most vile killer/thugs in the history of man.

Each of us as American citizens can start our own personal war with the French without any governmental help, any grants or acts by congress!

Lets help this deranged and mentally ill country of frogs commit Financial $ocial $uicide.

Just $crew the Frogs with buycotts for the rest of this decade. Here is a simple list of products not to buy:

A list of French companies and their products to avoid for the rest of this decade. Please keep this list and send it to your relatives, friends and fellow conservatives via e and snail mail!

*New additions to the list thanks to Freepers. If you have an addition, Freepmail me with the URL showing French ownership.

Air France
Air Liquide
Airbus
Alcatel - Based in Paris France
Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France
Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)
AXA Advisors
Bank of the West - Owned by BNP Paribas
Beneteau (boats)
BF Goodrich - Owned by Michelin
BIC (Razors, Pens & Lighters) - Started in 1945 by Marcel Bich. Originally based just outside of Paris. Began trading on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. 40.5% Publicly traded. Bich family still owns 33.5%.
Biotherm (Cosmetics)
Black Bush
Bollinger (Champagne)
*Browning Firearms**
Car & Driver Magazine
Cartier
Chanel
Chivas Regal (Scotch)
Christian Dior
Club Med (Vacations) - Owned in part by Paris based CDC (Caisse des Dépôts
et Consignations)
Culligan (owned by Vivendi)
Dannon (Yogurt & Dairy Foods)
*Decatholon Super Sport Stores or MVP Sport Stores*
* Dassault Systemes-(CATIA design software)*
DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.
*DMC THREADS
Dom Perignon
Durand Crystal
Elle Magazine
*Emile Henry French Cookware
*Enertec makes high speed recorders used in Recon aircraft
Essilor Optical Products
Evian
Fina Gas Stations
Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields
First Hawaiian Bank
George Magazine
Givenchy
*Grey Goose Vodka
*Groupe Shneider, owner of Modicon and Square D
*Guerlain Fragrances
Hennessy
Houghton Mifflin (books)
International Herald Tribune - 181 ave Charles-de-Gaulle - F-92521 Neuilly - FRSource:World Business Council for Sustainable Development '00 [Domain Registration], [Corporate Profile]
Jacobs Creek - Owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989
Jameson (wiskey)
Jerry Springer (talk show)
Krups (coffee and cappaccino makers)
Lancome
Le Creuset (Cookware)
L'Oreal (Health & Beauty Products)
Louis Vuitton
Marie Claire
Martel Cognac
Maybelline
Méphisto (Footwear & Apparel)
Michelin (Tires & Auto Parts) - Their phone number is: (33) 1 45 66 15 53 in France
Mikasa Crystal and Glass (purchased by ARC int'l in 2001)
Moet (Champagne)
Motel 6 - 33, Avenue du Maine- 75755 Paris Cedex 15 France
Motown Records
MP3.com
Mumms (Champagne)
Nissan (Cars) - Majority owned by Renault
Nivea
Normany Butter
Parents Magazine
Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French
Pierre Cardin
Playstation Magazine
ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising)
RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Red Magazine
Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Renault (Automobiles)
Road & Track Magazine
Roquefort Cheese - All Roquefort cheese is made in France
Rowenta (Toasters, Irons, Coffee makers, etc)
Royal Canadian
Salomon (Skis)
Seagram's Gin
Sierra Software and Computer Games
*Sodexho Alliance* French Food Caterer for the US Marines
*Solid Works Corp.* Div. of Dassault Systems, maker of SolidWorks 3D mechanical design software.
Sofitel (Hotels) - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Sparkletts (Water) - Owned by Danone, based in France
Spencer Gifts
Sundance Channel
Taylor Made (Golf)
Technicolor
T-Fal (Kitchenware)
The Glenlivet (Scotch
Total Gas Stations
UbiSoft (Computer Games)
Uniroyal
Uniroyal Tires - Owned by Michelin
Universal Studios (Music, Movies & Theme Parks) - Universal Studios is owned by Vivendi-Universal, headquartered in Paris France
USFilter
Veritas Group
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
Vittel
Vivendi - Vivendi Headquarters, Paris France
Wild Turkey (bourbon)
*Winchester Firearms (US Repeating Arms)**
Woman's Day Magazine
Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait
Yves Saint Laurent
*Yves Rocher Cosmetics
*ZigZag (tobacco papers and roller products)*
Zodiac Inflatable Boats

*New additions to the list thanks to Freepers. If you have an addition, Freepmail me with the URL showing French ownership.

** Sad news but these two companies are owned by the Belgian Company Herstal, (French Light)

I'm asking for volunteers to create a good product list of alternative products. If you are an expert in a category or would like start a list of American or Ally products/services, let me know. I will list the alternative category and have your freeper name as the list keeper. That way people can freep you for your list. Once you get it set up and have a master copy in your FreepMail, you can just copy it for each reply to the request.

don't constantly try to undermine the attempts to build a coherent power in Europe.

Karl B, I think your image of the EU is a bit rosy. I don't see any organization in which France plays such a prominent role as being disposed towards assisting the U.S. The fact is that we are even now getting support from much of Europe. I think we'd lose some of that support if power was centralized in the E.U., because the EU likely would be paralyzed by the same dissension that currently girps the U.N.

Some countries like England still hesitate and sometimes undermine this construction, now the eastern countries seem to follow this dangerous path.

Which proves the point. The strongest U.S. allies are the ones most reluctant to join in the EU that France is trying to create. They understand that France does not intend the EU to be a brother to the U.S. -- it intends it to be a rival or competitor. Thanks, but we'd rather have those countries as independent allies rather than federated neutrals.

I don't forget the US attitude towards Turkey a few weeks ago. What attitude was that? There was grumbling, but our government did not rebuke them publicly, and expressly stated that we still considered Turkey an ally. Which was a damn site more friendly that Chirac's comments to eastern Europe.

The USA also owes us a lot, by all the ppl that emigrated and made the USA bigger.

By the same logic, France owes North Africa a huge round of thanks for all that immigration. Sorry, but Europe was not benevolently stocking the U.S. with people out of pure altruism. You were basically getting rid of your malcontents. Which may explain why we don't always get along so well.

Karl B., if that EU was headed up by someone who thought like you, or Blair, or Aznar, you might be right. But I think the primary effect would be to further separate us from our allies on the continent.

Are you saying Poland needed France to remain a nation-state? The Poles have fought and outlasted more invasions from Germany and Russia than the French could ever dream of doing. Yes, the Poles disappeared from the map even, but they clawed their way back instead of surrendering- not like- well, you know who. What an idiot comment to make.

As for backstabbing the French, go to Normandy to learn about backstabbing. BTW, does every country in the EU not have to consult with every other country before making a decision- perhaps the EU's goal is just to do away with country sovereignty- I guess the diplomats in Brussels really don't understand human nature or even much history for that matter (what is the saying? power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely- guess I know where the EU is headed- and we wonder why the EU appeases tyrants so often)
If Europe is weak, it is only because they have an overregulated, socialistic economy with an extremely low birthrate (ever wonder why europe allows the muslims in? - guess the socialistic enlightened worldview has consequences after all)
As for Eastern Europe, the French and Germans should be grateful for these open markets and low wages, they would be in much worse shape without them. You think companies can survive without going bankrupt in a global economy with the perks the Germans and French give? time to face reality.
Perhaps the west europeans would be better looking at the economy from less of a zero sum situation- they still don't get that low wages and low taxes increases the economic pie after all these years.
Speaking of tyrants, doesn't it embarrass you in the least that Chirac is making excuses and defending a mass murder/torturer/rapist tyrant? Does'nt the idea that France gave this man the means to produce about 100 nuclear weapons by now (back in the 80's) sober you in the least?
Have you heard of the term "nuclear blackmail"?

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.