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American Morning
French Whine?
Aired May 16, 2003 - 07:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: France has taken a beating in the U.S., figuratively speaking, since coming out against the Iraqi war. Americans have retaliated by dumping French wine, boycotting French restaurants, even renaming french fries and french toast.
Now, the French ambassador to the U.S. has written a letter to the president accusing unnamed government officials of -- quote -- "a disinformation campaign aimed at sullying the French image and misleading the public."
Joining us now from Paris to talk about these diplomatic claims, Christian Malard, senior foreign analyst for the French television network.
Good to see you.
CHRISTIAN MALARD, SR. FOREIGN ANALYST, FRANCE 3 TV: Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, the letter has been sent to the White House saying that there is this campaign, this smear campaign. What's the evidence, and of what reports does this seem to be the source?
MALARD: Well, the French presidency, first, here I talked to one of the spokespersons yesterday evening, and the person says we deny whole what has been said. The French president and his people have been really upset by the fact that, for instance, there was some hint of the possibility that the French would have given false passports to Iraqi officials close to Saddam Hussein. We thought it was very (UNINTELLIGIBLE). In fact, it was an insult.
So, it is clear that the French have a hint at who could be behind. I'm sure that they have in mind that the ox, what you call the ox of the White House, the tough people against France, they are probably having them in mind. No proof, of course.
But it puts, in a certain way, all unfair. Before -- we have three weeks from now, the new resolutions to be taken for the lifting of the embargo inside the Security Council of the U.N. And three weeks -- or two weeks away before the G8 summit in Paris, where President Bush and President Chirac are supposed to have a face-to- face meeting. So, the situation is still a bad omen for the very coming future.
WHITFIELD: Is it the French government's view that the White House is actually issuing these directives to these so-called intelligence sources that are supplying these reporters from "The Washington Post," "The Washington Times," various mainstream news organizations, with information, saying things like the French possess smallpox strains and has also supplied helicopters and airplane parts to Iraq?
MALARD: Yes, the French government, the French presidency probably have in mind, as I told you, that some people inside the administration -- they're not mentioning if it's very close to President Bush or some advisors who might not be in the White House, who might be at the Pentagon, I don't know -- but definitely they have in mind that some people try to hurt the relationship between France and the United States.
WHITFIELD: Well, let me ask you...
MALARD: And everybody is convinced that we don't need that.
WHITFIELD: Well, Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that this is a relationship that's always been a work-in-progress. And this is what he said specifically to these most recent charges from the French government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States and France, we've been in marriage counseling for 225 years. Guess what? The marriage is there. And it will be there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Do you believe the French government is confident that the relationship is still there, will endure anything, despite all of these various reports and despite the notion that French have not been behind the U.S. efforts in Iraq?
MALARD: The French definitely have in mind to repair, to mend the relationship with United States. These two countries cannot be apart and not playing the same game against all of the challenges we have to face ahead. It is true that Colin Powell has a preference in the French administration. He is a man who is probably -- he is the most considered, because they consider his approach as being probably more normal, a bit smoother than the one of the people considered as being the ox of the Bush administration.
And Colin Powell, as you know, is coming to Paris next Thursday and Friday, and it will be a test for the future...
WHITFIELD: OK.
MALARD: ... of the Franco-American relationship, especially before the G8 summit.
WHITFIELD: All right, Christian Malard, thank you very much for joining us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired May 16, 2003 - 07:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: France has taken a beating in the U.S., figuratively speaking, since coming out against the Iraqi war. Americans have retaliated by dumping French wine, boycotting French restaurants, even renaming french fries and french toast.
Now, the French ambassador to the U.S. has written a letter to the president accusing unnamed government officials of -- quote -- "a disinformation campaign aimed at sullying the French image and misleading the public."
Joining us now from Paris to talk about these diplomatic claims, Christian Malard, senior foreign analyst for the French television network.
Good to see you.
CHRISTIAN MALARD, SR. FOREIGN ANALYST, FRANCE 3 TV: Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, the letter has been sent to the White House saying that there is this campaign, this smear campaign. What's the evidence, and of what reports does this seem to be the source?
MALARD: Well, the French presidency, first, here I talked to one of the spokespersons yesterday evening, and the person says we deny whole what has been said. The French president and his people have been really upset by the fact that, for instance, there was some hint of the possibility that the French would have given false passports to Iraqi officials close to Saddam Hussein. We thought it was very (UNINTELLIGIBLE). In fact, it was an insult.
So, it is clear that the French have a hint at who could be behind. I'm sure that they have in mind that the ox, what you call the ox of the White House, the tough people against France, they are probably having them in mind. No proof, of course.
But it puts, in a certain way, all unfair. Before -- we have three weeks from now, the new resolutions to be taken for the lifting of the embargo inside the Security Council of the U.N. And three weeks -- or two weeks away before the G8 summit in Paris, where President Bush and President Chirac are supposed to have a face-to- face meeting. So, the situation is still a bad omen for the very coming future.
WHITFIELD: Is it the French government's view that the White House is actually issuing these directives to these so-called intelligence sources that are supplying these reporters from "The Washington Post," "The Washington Times," various mainstream news organizations, with information, saying things like the French possess smallpox strains and has also supplied helicopters and airplane parts to Iraq?
MALARD: Yes, the French government, the French presidency probably have in mind, as I told you, that some people inside the administration -- they're not mentioning if it's very close to President Bush or some advisors who might not be in the White House, who might be at the Pentagon, I don't know -- but definitely they have in mind that some people try to hurt the relationship between France and the United States.
WHITFIELD: Well, let me ask you...
MALARD: And everybody is convinced that we don't need that.
WHITFIELD: Well, Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that this is a relationship that's always been a work-in-progress. And this is what he said specifically to these most recent charges from the French government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States and France, we've been in marriage counseling for 225 years. Guess what? The marriage is there. And it will be there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Do you believe the French government is confident that the relationship is still there, will endure anything, despite all of these various reports and despite the notion that French have not been behind the U.S. efforts in Iraq?
MALARD: The French definitely have in mind to repair, to mend the relationship with United States. These two countries cannot be apart and not playing the same game against all of the challenges we have to face ahead. It is true that Colin Powell has a preference in the French administration. He is a man who is probably -- he is the most considered, because they consider his approach as being probably more normal, a bit smoother than the one of the people considered as being the ox of the Bush administration.
And Colin Powell, as you know, is coming to Paris next Thursday and Friday, and it will be a test for the future...
WHITFIELD: OK.
MALARD: ... of the Franco-American relationship, especially before the G8 summit.
WHITFIELD: All right, Christian Malard, thank you very much for joining us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
