Sarkozy to Visit Bush-Restore Relations

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting Washington today, making the next step to restore Franco-American relations which had been on bad terms since the beginning of the Iraq war. This is Sarkozy’s first official visit to the U.S. as President of France, but this is not his first visit. He and his family recently spent time on vacation in New England, a remarkable choice which also sent a message of friendship, and he stopped by the Bush compound in Maine during that time for an informal visit. It is impossible to imagine his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, making such a gesture. Personally I hope President Bush would make a visit to France and return the favor, or favors, in this case.

Sarkozy, who is accompanied by four of his ministers, including Bernard Kouchner, the foreign affaires minister, will meet with a delegation of French expats and business leaders in Washington as well as the mayor of Washington before having dinner at the White House with President Bush. He will also address a joint session of Congress and will supposedly talk about the historical bonds between the U.S. and France.

Sarkozy has always stated that France is a friend of the U.S., but France reserves the right to disagree on certain issues. He is quick to emphasize that friends don’t have to agree on everything.

Regardless of which country was more in the right regarding Iraq, it has been difficult to witness such anti-French sentiment in the U.S. over that time. I think these feelings have hurt operators of tours in France like ourselves, and a thaw in relations is overdue. People often ask us if we have been treated poorly in France because of the bad relationships between the two countries. Our answer is always in the negative, and we point out that in our opinion the French people in general did not take those problems personally. In other words they may have disagreed with the stance of our government, but they didn’t take it out on us as Americans or have hard feelings against individuals. I can’t always say the same about American feelings towards the French. The flow of nasty French jokes has slowed down a good bit, and I personally would like to see it stop. It is way overdue.

Feel free to make a comment- it will be posted on this blog regardless if you agree or disagree. The comment only has to be in good taste.

Visiting Paris? Here are a number of resources to help, including a free ebook entitled: "A Selection of 80 Inexpensive and Good Parisian Restaurants"- French cuisine only: Click on this link: Paris Sightseeing Tours

Back to Beaux Voyages home page: France Tours