Downing Street Says » Mr. Sarkozy Meeting

» Monday, October 10, 2005

Mr. Sarkozy Meeting

Asked if the Prime Minister was having dinner with Nicolas Sarkozy tonight, the PMOS said we did not always brief on the Prime Minister’s private meetings.

Put to the PMOS that there was some confusion as to whether the Prime Minister was meeting Mr. Sarkozy, the PMOS said we did not brief on every meeting the Prime Minister did or did not hold. Some conversations the Prime Minister had were private conversations.

Asked to confirm whether or not the information received earlier had been correct regarding the Prime Minister’s meeting with Mr. Sarkozy, the PMOS said he was not able to confirm it.

Put to the PMOS that the French Embassy had been briefing "all day" on the meeting, and had given the time and location of the meeting, were there wires crossed between Downing Street and the French Embassy, the PMOS said it was a matter for the French Embassy.

Asked would it not be reasonable to expect to be told that there was a meeting, as they were two public figures, the PMOS said again that he was not going to get into any details, but the Prime Minister was entitled to private conversations with people. The PMOS pointed out the Prime Minister was not meeting his opposite number.

Put to the PMOS that he was meeting Mr. Sarkozy who would soon be President in France on the day that Angela Merkel was named Chancellor, and therefore there was "quite clearly an agenda", the PMOS said he was not aware that there had been an election in France.

Put to the PMOS that the French Interior Minister was not a private individual, and that a meeting with him in a time of terrorism was a big story, the PMOS repeated that whilst others might not, he would still stick to the terms in which meetings were set up, and he could not comment any further.

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