Nicolas Sarkozy said earlier this week that he would not be able to shake hands with someone who said Israel had to be wiped off the map. Ambassador Bernard Poletti was told there would be repercussions for relations if such remarks were repeated.
In the speech, given on 8 December on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Mr Sarkozy said: "How is it that a people such as the Iranian people - one of the world's greatest peoples, one of the world's oldest civilisations, sophisticated, cultured, open - have the misfortune of being represented as they are today by some of their leaders?
"I have said this to my friend Kofi [Annan]: I find it impossible to shake hands with somebody who has dared to say that Israel must be wiped off the map.
2 comments:
This is very interesting. I think that we need to cut down on terrorist groups and the notion that "blowing countries off the map" is a good solution to their problem. I think condeming these groups and refusing to acknowledge them may only infuriate them more however.
That is a bold statement and i agree Sarkozy. I would not be able to shake hands with a blatant racist. Although his statement about representation is right on. We are all perceived from outsiders as they perceive our politicians thats why we must be careful in electing our officials.
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