French President Nicolas Sarkozy has presented the priorities of his country’s six-month EU presidency, promising to seek a way forward for the bloc’s Lisbon Treaty. In his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, he also urged debate on monetary and exchange rate policy. He named pacts on climate change and immigration, better European defence capabilities and modernising Europe’s farm policy as key goals. He also said he would defend human rights. This was in response to criticism of his plans to be in Beijing when the Olympics start. Green MEP Daniel Cohn-Bendit was incensed. He said: “You have a golden opportunity to defend European democratic values of freedom by saying ‘I won’t participate in the opening of the Games, and the Chinese Communist Party mascarade!” Sarkozy has been accused of undermining EU efforts...
[read full story]
Your Web Site
