France

Dalai Lama meets Carla Sarkozy at temple, calls for French support

French defence minister answers Afghanistan critics

Paris - French Defence Minister Herve Morin on Thursday rejected accusations that the French military's response to a Taliban attack on its troops in Afghanistan which killed ten soldiers was too slow.

Morin told RTL radio that the exact circumstances of the attack must be clarified before criticisms can be made.

The French newspaper Le Monde had written on Thursday that support troops were sent to the combat zone too late, and that the patrol in which ten soldiers were killed had been under fire for four hours without help.

But Morin told RTL that a rapid reaction force was despatched "15 to 20 minutes after the firefight began" although it did take about an hour for them to reach the battle site.

Beijing criticizes Dalai Lama meeting with French officials

Beijing - Beijing's foreign ministry on Wednesday sharply criticized plans by French government ministers to meet with the Dalai Lama.

Ministry spokesman Qin Gang demanded more "consideration" for the Sino-French bilateral ties.

"We hope the French side respects China's concerns and will deal carefully with the important and sensitive issues," Quin said in Beijing.

French Human Rights Minister Rama Yade announced plans to meet with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, who is currently on a 12-day visit to France, on Friday.

President Nicolas Sarkozy declined to meet the Dalai Lama, but the monk is expected to meet with first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Nicolas Sarkozy in Afghanistan after deadly attack on French soldiers

Nicolas Sarkozy in Afghanistan after deadly attack on French soldiersKabul - French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to visit his country's troops and meet with his Afghan counterpart, a day after 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 were wounded in a Taliban attack.

Sarkozy visited French troops in Camp Warehouse on the eastern outskirts of Kabul Wednesday morning and paid his respects to the dead soldiers, a diplomatic source who declined to be named said.

Sarkozy praises deceased Zambian president Mwanawasa

French President Nicolas Sarkozy

Shevardnadze: Russia a threat to Europe

Former Georgian President Eduard ShevardnadzeParis - Former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze Tuesday labelled Russia a threat to Europe and called for Moscow to be punished for its invasion of Georgia.

"The Georgia conflict is a test," the former Soviet foreign minister told the French daily Le Parisien. "If the Europeans let Russia away with this, what guarantee can they then give Poland or the Baltic states if the scenario repeats itself?"

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