Downing Street Says » UK/France

» Thursday, December 3, 2009

UK/France

Asked if there was a diplomatic rift between the UK and France and was President Sarkozy told that he could not come to Downing Street, the PMS said that there was no diplomatic rift between Britain and France. The opportunity for the Prime Minister and President to meet this week did not present itself due to diary clashes. There was an excellent opportunity for them to meet in Brussels next week and the PMS said that he was sure they would do so. The two also spent time together in the CHOGM meeting as well.

Asked whose diary was clashing more, the PMS replied that both were very busy men and people should not read anything into the fact that they were not able to meet this week.

Put that the suggestion from Paris was that the President wanted to come here tomorrow and what were the items in the Prime Minister’s diary that stopped that from happening, the PMS replied that he did not give a read-out of every item in the Prime Minister’s diary. The Prime Minister and the President had a good, strong relationship; they had met in Trinidad, they would meet in Brussels and they spoke regularly.

Asked if there was a formal meeting of the two scheduled for Brussels, the PMS said that diaries tended to be a bit more flexible in Brussels. Asked if President Sarkozy had suggested a meeting tomorrow, the PMS said that the Prime Minister and the President had plenty of opportunities to meet and there was never any intention of there being anything other than a good productive discussion when the opportunity prevented itself. The opportunity had prevented itself most effectively in Brussels next week. The Prime Minister welcomed the opportunity to talk to the President.

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