By It looks like France wants to make themselves look more relevant in international affairs:
Nicolas Sarkozy is once again wading into international diplomacy. After trying a hand at Mideast peace, raising France’s profile on Iran and reaching out to Cuba, he’s homing in on another problem long seen as Washington’s to solve: North Korea.
By sending a special mission to Pyongyang next week, the French president wants to bring new ideas to a stale standoff. Among them, Sarkozy envoy Jack Lang said in an interview, is possible European aid to North Korea in exchange for nuclear guarantees.
“No questions are forbidden,” Lang told The Associated Press of his upcoming meetings with senior North Korean officials. He called himself a “soldier of peace.”
The official goal of the visit is to sound out the possibility of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries. However, as part of the mission, Lang is holding talks with all six governments involved in North Korea disarmament talks — and it’s clear the real aim is a longshot bid to achieve a breakthrough in the nuclear standoff. [Associated Press]
After reading this the North Koreans must be thinking that a sucker is born every day:
The lively and loquacious 70-year-old has never been to Pyongyang and is best known for his high-profile role championing French theater and arts. He’s driven in his mission largely by what he calls “intuition” that change is afoot in the impoverished land often called a hermit nation.
So if anyone France is reading this, what do you think about your tax dollars possibly going to fund a regime because a 70 year old theater critic has an intuitive feeling Kim Jong-il really means that he is willing to change now? All I got to say is if the Europeans want to pay off the North Koreans for little or nothing in return, then so be it as long as my tax dollars stop going to fund the Kim regime in North Korea.
I wonder when Jimmy Carter is going to show up next in North Korea claiming hope and change? Where have we heard this hope and change nonsense in North Korea before?
3:59 am on November 4th, 2009 1
Nobel Price.
5:50 am on November 4th, 2009 2
Most likely North Korea doesn't give anything in return once again. It's European Union money and as an EU citizen I don't like this kind of spending.
And having visited North Korea personally, I have probably given enough financial support to the regime already.
10:41 am on November 4th, 2009 3
Don't forget that Kim Il Seong likes to think of himself as an artist, or at least that's what North Korean propaganda would like us to believe. By sending this guy, France is appealing to their vanity…not that I'm convinced it will accomplish anything tangible.
10:42 am on November 4th, 2009 4
Correction, Kim Jeong Il…
11:44 am on November 4th, 2009 5
They couldn't find anyone else to accept their surrender?
/"…Kim Il Seong(sic) likes to think of himself as an artist…" – You know who else liked to consider himself an artist?
//godwined in 5.
1:53 pm on November 4th, 2009 6
Yep, 1st thought.
2:02 pm on November 4th, 2009 7
I can't help but think of the people who think this is such a good idea. Who are they?
I don't think French wine and cocaine are a good mix, even for the French elites.
2:20 pm on November 4th, 2009 8
Got to agree with TeaDrinker here, although they also are in it for potential contracts. France is behind the rest of the EU in its relations with DPRK and as NK Econwatch shows, the Germans and the Swiss are whipping up instead. Sarkozy got too close to the U.S., just like with Iran.
And all 70-year-old Frenchmen are theater critics, n'est oui? Perhaps he can give the Dear Leader a few tips on how to remain virile into old age. Actually, that's terrifying. Please forget I every mentioned it.
8:41 pm on November 4th, 2009 9
"n’est oui"?
In French, 'not' is 'ne pas'. 'N'est' is one word short of being 'isn't'. You meant 'mais oui'.
8:47 pm on November 4th, 2009 10
"They couldn’t find anyone else to accept their surrender?"
Wow, that's original…and so very ironic coming from a guy who thinks he's Napoleon.
6:27 am on November 5th, 2009 11
Teadrinker, thanks for keeping me honest with my made-up French idioms. (You were kind not to also mention the English misspellings; my "every" should be "ever." I think I need to stick to Chinese!)
10:42 am on November 5th, 2009 12
I'm so damn envious. The only languages I know are english and wife (yes dear).