Sarkozy asks Argentina's Kirchner "to hold back" Chávez (with retraction)

Sarkozy asks Argentina's Kirchner "to hold back" Chávez

Fernández de Kirchner, Sarkozy met Monday in the Élysée Palace (Photo: Fernando Villalobos / Efe)

http://english.eluniversal.com/2008/04/09/en_pol_art_sarkozy-asks-arge...

Press reports claimed that the French ruler believes that Argentina, given its close ties with Caracas, may play a key role to contain President Hugo Chávez's "ill-timed reactions"
EL UNIVERSAL (Caracas)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy allegedly asked his Argentinean counterpart Cristina Fernández de Kirchner for help to "contain" Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chávez, "whose ill-timed reactions are a cause for concern for Europe, as they endanger regional stability," Argentinean press reports claimed.

Buenos Aires-based daily newspaper La Nación, quoting sources with the Élysée Palace -the siege of the French government- last Monday reported that during a meeting between Fernández de Kirchner and Sarkozy in Paris, the latter conveyed "the petition from European governments to those countries that, like Argentina, hold open and friendly talks with President Chávez."

The sources noticed that the French ruler believes that Argentina -given the close ties between Buenos Aires and Caracas- may play a key role to achieve such a goal.

When asked by La Nación about the claims, Argentinean Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and some members of the delegation accompanying Fernández de Kirchner during her visit to France replied they did not know the contents of the private meeting between the two presidents.

"It is very important for Argentina to represent France's interests in Latin America and for France to represent Argentina's interests in Europe," Sarkozy told Fernández de Kirchner earlier, during a luncheon.

Fernández de Kirchner ended her first official visit to France -which took 36 hours- with her meeting with Sarkozy.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.

By sloopskipper on Apr 9, 2008, 09:31 in Politics & the war.

Waterdawg says on Apr 9, 2008, 09:41:

Argentina has it's own problems right now , to include Mrs. Kirchner ! lol

azunoman says on Apr 9, 2008, 14:15:

Waiting to see if Kirchner going to have a job when the urban population doesn't get their beef for a couple months. Yea..waterdog...daddy kirchner knew getting out was a good idea...now he just a trophy husband and the wife going to take a beating...

Ready, Fire, Aim

sloopskipper says on Apr 10, 2008, 12:35:

El Universal's Retraction:

France denies call for help "to hold back Chávez"

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy asked his Argentinean counterpart Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to "hold back" the Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chávez, during a meeting Fernández de Kirchner held with Sarkozy last Monday in Paris.

In a press release, the French Foreign Ministry stressed that Sarkozy did not make such a petition, and rather "the two rulers agreed on the significant role President Hugo Chávez is playing in the humanitarian swap" of the hostages held by the Colombian guerrilla groups.

Argentinean daily newspaper La Nación, quoting sources it identified as officials with the Élysée Palace, reported that during their private meeting "Sarkozy asked Cristina to contain Chávez", because the "ill-timed reactions" of the Venezuelan ruler "are a reason for concern in Europe, as they endanger regional stability."

The press release highlighted that both Argentina and France "are particularly committed to achieve the release of the hostages held by the (rebel) Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC), especially Ingrid Betancourt." The former presidential candidate has been held as hostage for six years. Betancourt's situation was one of the major topics addressed during Fernández de Kirchner's visit to France.