Sarkozy's Midnight in Moscow

We know that Nicolas Sarkozy does not touch a drop of alcohol, so something else explained why his spirits were so high when he regaled us late last night on his dinner with Vladimir Putin.

Sarko was unstoppable as he held forth in a little room in the National,  the old Soviet hostelry, now transformed into luxury hotel, which is opposite the Kremlin and Red Square. In three hours at Putin's dacha, two minds had met as they surveyed the world and Russia's resurgence as a power, Sarko said. "It was a long, very long discussion. Enthralling, very intimate. I felt a real desire to exchange ideas and to understand."

Something seems to happen to Sarko when he meets Putin. It was after their first meeting, at the G8 sumit in Germany last June, that he acted like such an excited schoolboy that the video of "Drunk Sarko" became a Youtube hit.  The French president arrived in Moscow talking of Putin's "brutality" with Russian natural gas and warning how tough he would be with the uncooperative Kremlin.The cosy old Franco-Russian days were over and we would see what we would see, as the French say. Yet there he was overflowing with admiration for the soon-to-resign Tsar -- and claiming that he had won a big concession from him over policy on Iran's nuclear programme. Here's the newspaper story I wrote up after a long day and night in Moscow.

It seemed once again that Sarko was incredulous that he was playing world statesman, accepted as one of the big-boys, dans la cour des grands. Putin, he said, had confided in him his possible plans for staying on in power by becoming prime minister once he stands down as President next year. He had sounded him out on his own ideas for putting a two-term limit on France's five-year presidency. Putin is weighing the pros and cons of continuing power and he is extraordinarily lucid on the matter, said Sarkozy.

Sarko also said that he had been frank about his misgivings on Russia's treatment with internal dissent and its intolerance for homosexuals. Putin did not react badly, Sarko told me, because he had framed his remarks by stressing the world's admiration for Russia's revived power, saying that this could only be tarnished by less than impeccable conduct at home.

It is always fascinating to see Sarkozy up close like this. He was even joking that he had something in common with Putin because he had been chief of the French secret servie for four years -- as Interior Minister under Jacques Chirac. "What makes you think I'm an ordinary president?" he quipped to the group of reporters who had come from Paris to sit at his feet.  Chirac would never have made a crack like that. Nor would he have chatted so openly after a session with his good friend Vladimir. Sarko is really different.

Today, he has a chance to go public on his misgivings on human rights when he meets university students and then holds a press conference with Putin before lunch in the Kremlin. We shall see if the tone changes.

On a personal note, it's great to be back in the USSR... err, Russia, after all these years. For an old hand who lived here before the end of communism, it's still amazing to see the glitzy new, back-to-the-future Russia.  The new towers of Moscow, its showrooms of Bentley and Mercedes cars, its garish advertising, its commercial radio stations are still a novelty. Getting off the French Air Force Airbus at Vnukovo aerodrome, you are greeted by airline insignia with the Tsar's double-headed eagle. Someone who remembered only the hammers and sickles of Aeroflot has to pinch himself.

But things have not changed so much. They still stopped all the traffic on the motorway, pulling the mud-spattered cars and trucks to the side, to let our minivan convoy cruise into the city. And that was just for the media. Sarko arrived three hours later.   

   

Comments

[azloon]

to quote one of my favorite movie villians, curley (jack palance), from 'city slickers,' putin shits bigger turds than sarko.

[Robert Marchenoir]

So we know now after all these years it's really Charles who wrote:

"Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC
Didn't get to bed last night
Oh, the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
I'm back in the USSR
You don't know how lucky you are, boy
Back in the USSR, yeah
Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it's good to be back home"

Substitute BA and lost luggage for BOAC and paper bags, et voilà.

[rocket]

Don't expect too much in the way of criticism from Sarkozy in his comments today. He will do what French leaders have always strived for, play off the USSR (Russia) against the US in order to leverage their own position in the world.

Lest we forget who controls the gas into Western Europe.

If his "aller les chercher les infirmières bulgaires" with construction plans for nuclear reactors in Libya under arm is any indication of the new French negotiation style we should also see a quick release of Ingrid Bettancourt against a secret arms deal for the FARC and a growth rate of 10% in France with the aid of pencil and eraser as well full employment in France.

If he's not able to clean up his own cabinet with loose cannons outwardly criticizing policy moves such as Fadela Amara (I criticize the government's very slow reaction (by that I mean she should either resign or be resigned, not the words of the minister)I'm not sure that he will take a strong stand on Moscow's baffling of human rights.

Sarkozy seems to be like Messier was. In wonderland knowing that he is playing with the big boys/girls and look what happened to Messier.

[Roger Goodacre]

I enjoyed that VIP treatment once myself, all the hoi polloi blocked off as we raced through the city - in Paris!

A guest along with some well-connected Welsh friends of the 'Amicale des Supporters de l'Equipe de France', we were still à table at Drouant, near the Opéra right in the centre of the city, at 14.15 for a 15.00 kickoff, France v Wales, at the Parc des Princes. We're going to miss the first half, I said to my mates. Upon which we all piled into a coach with police outriders, zoomed up the wrong side of the Champs Elysées and arrived at the stadium with ten minutes to spare.

These totalitarian states have something to be said for them..

[christopher muir]

It sounds as if Sarko and Putin had a cordial Moscow meeting. Let's hope so. I wonder if they discussed the Iranian situation and the planned US radar installations in the Czech republic. As top spies go, I'd rate Putin higher than Sarko - and if that opinion is correct, a democratic France should probably be grateful.

[Judith]

Perhaps President Putin has an exceptionally magnetic personality. I seem to remember that the first time President GW Bush met him (Putin) he (Bush) said something to the effect of that he had looked into his soul and he had liked what I saw.

[Lilly]

France has become a nation of runners, fanatic of rugby, eager to win and ready for reform (as long as cuts will concern all others – not « me » (!)) according to her President’s image, and it is exciting to see how Sarkozy’s charisma penetrates his ‘subjects’’ as well as the non-French critic observation… - Beware, beware…

“Something seems to happen to Sarko when he meets Putin […] – […] acted like such an excited schoolboy ---“ (CB)

“It is always fascinating to see Sarkozy up close like this. […] he quipped to the group of reporters who had come from Paris to sit at his feet.” (CB)

The journalist depicts Sarkozy’s boyish behaviour on the world stage, yet some of it gets rubbed off on most people in his aura.

The schoolboy President Sarkozy meets world leader Putin – and fascinated reporters sit at the President’s (i.e. Sarkozy’s!) feet marvelling at his persona.

Sarkozy’s self-awareness is not yet fully developed. He will further grow into his role as a world leader – for the better or the worse.

What should one expect? Men are grown-up boys – and boys will always be boys.

[Valentin]

"What should one expect? Men are grown-up boys – and boys will always be boys."

And that's exactly the way you like them sometimes, don't you, Lilly ? :))

[Maggie G]

"Bush looked into Putin's soul and liked what he saw."

"Perhaps President Putin has an exceptionally magnetic personality." (Judith)

Does anybody beside me find him good-looking?

I have a picture I cut out of a newspaper a few years ago, and stuck into a book. In all the pictures you see of him these days, he looks cold and harsh, but in this one, besides looking absolutely gorgeous, he looks quite innocent and nice -- almost angelic.

I take it out and look at it every once in awhile. How sad (and unromantic!) that power corrupts.

Back then he was someone you could dream about!

(sigh)

[Lilly]

"And that's exactly the way you like them sometimes, don't you, Lilly?:))" -

Valentin,

yes, I do.

[Dot KING]

Maggie G - fancying Putin, well, I suppose I can take it on board in principle - I fell for Hubert Védrine when I saw him on "100 Minutes pour Comprendre" just before the US invaded Iraq - I just loved the way he had Kissinger trembling and stuttering because he knew he was defending an unworthy cause against a great brain. What a turn on!
Funny though, a man recently told me he liked me for my mind and I suddenly began wondering what was wrong with the rest of me - I'd thought it was what I'd wanted to hear all my life!

[terry]

Yet there he was overflowing with admiration for the soon-to-resign Tsar -- and claiming that he had won a big concession from him over policy on Iran's nuclear programme.

Yes. Truman said the same thing at Potsdam.