The remarks by Mr Sarkozy to Le Figaro, the newspaper that is considered to be his house organ, dampened hopes in the Blair team that French arm-twisting would win the day when EU leaders meet later this month in the aftermath of Ireland's approval of the Lisbon Treaty. French commentators said that Mr Sarkozy appeared to be dumping Mr Blair as a liability. The candidacy of Mr Blair is supported by eastern and southern Europe but opposed by the Netherlands and Belgium, founder states of the Common Market. It is also opposed by the European Left and much of the European Parliament. His support of the war in Iraq and free market capitalism damns him in many eyes. ... Mr Sarkozy's aides have been saying for weeks that France is not aiming to force Mr Blair on Europe. He has been canvassing other names, including Felipe González, the Socialist former Spanish Prime Minister. The games is far from over, French diplomats noted. The decision will come down to a bout of traditional EU horse-trading, probably at the leaders' summit in Brussels at the end of this month.
The remarks by Mr Sarkozy to Le Figaro, the newspaper that is considered to be his house organ, dampened hopes in the Blair team that French arm-twisting would win the day when EU leaders meet later this month in the aftermath of Ireland's approval of the Lisbon Treaty. French commentators said that Mr Sarkozy appeared to be dumping Mr Blair as a liability.
The candidacy of Mr Blair is supported by eastern and southern Europe but opposed by the Netherlands and Belgium, founder states of the Common Market. It is also opposed by the European Left and much of the European Parliament. His support of the war in Iraq and free market capitalism damns him in many eyes.
...
Mr Sarkozy's aides have been saying for weeks that France is not aiming to force Mr Blair on Europe. He has been canvassing other names, including Felipe González, the Socialist former Spanish Prime Minister. The games is far from over, French diplomats noted. The decision will come down to a bout of traditional EU horse-trading, probably at the leaders' summit in Brussels at the end of this month.
