France attacks America's high-handed unilateralism

[Az]

Special report: George Bush's America

Jon Henley in Paris
Wednesday August 29, 2001
The Guardian

The French foreign minister, Hubert V?drine, accused the United States of self-interest yesterday and said that the Bush administration was hindering the international community's efforts to solve the problems of globalisation.

In the latest Gallic attack on what is politely referred to in France as "American economic and cultural hegemony", Mr V?drine told French ambassadors in Paris that France would pursue its efforts towards "a humane and controlled globalisation, even if the new high-handed American unilateralism doesn't help matters".

Mr V?drine said France had learned from the recent wave of anti-globalisation protests and backed "reasonable demands as far as globalisation is concerned, because we too do not want rampant unrestrained globalisation".

The outburst was by no means Mr V?drine's first attack on US policy. He has previously criticised President Bush's decision to abandon the Kyoto accord to combat global warming and the American president's determination to pursue a US missile defence scheme.

Earlier this year he was also scathing about America's reluctance to commit itself fully to an international campaign against money-laundering. He said that such market-driven attitudes "prevent the emergence of a global consensus to combat the destructive effects of globalisation".

Coments?

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[Knight-Dragon]

Well, France has a long history of going against America, mostly being worries of being overwhelmed by the Anglo-Saxon powers culturally i.e. English language, America pop and rock and whatelse, Disney ....
But I think this time round, they have a point. The Bush administration has been rather heavy-handed in pushing thru their pet projects thru and over the international community. Like the Kyoto treaty, the anti missile systems treaty thing and so on. Regardless of their public pronouncements, it's obvious that they are now putting American interests (or rather Bush administration interests) at the very forefront of their foreign policy.
While this is nothing strange in itself and every nation shld be looking out for itself, America is supposedly the moral leader of the world and proud of it (they critised other nations frequently). As such, the Bush administration shld at least consider the plight of all humanity when dealing with at least some intl issues that concern every human being living on this planet.
But that's just my personal opinion.

[This message has been edited by SKM (edited August 31, 2001).]

 

[SunTzu]

France and Conflict doesn't mix i'm not gonna start on france.

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[Dell19]

For some reason people in England tend to not like the French...looks back through history...hmmm

 

[jiml_63]

The reponse of the Frogs is typical. I am sick and tired of the world bashing the Americans for their efforts to make the world a safe place.
As for the Kyoto treaty...How many countries actually signed that worthless document...anybody...how about 1. The Kyoto treaty was based on bad science and bad policy.

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Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result...