259 lines
6.5 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
259 lines
6.5 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
news
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worldnews
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europe
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france
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8405024
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-----
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# French interior minister apologises for likening Libya intervention to a
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crusade
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## Claude Gueant, France's new interior minister, has been forced into
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expressing regret for having likened his country's diplomatic drive for
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international military intervention in Libya to a "crusade".
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![Claude Guant, France's new interior minister, has been forced into
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expressing regret for having likened his country's diplomatic drive for
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international military intervention in Libya to a crusade][1]
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Nicknamed 'The Cardinal' during his time as the Elysee's secretary general, Mr
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Gueant was admired for his diplomatic skills Photo: AFP
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[![Henry Samuel][2]][3]
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By [Henry Samuel][4], Paris 7:43PM GMT 24 Mar 2011
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On Monday, Mr Gueant had praised Nicolas Sarkozy, the [French][5] president,
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for having "headed the crusade to mobilise the United Nations Security
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Council, and then the Arab League and the African Union."
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"Looking back I could have used another word," he admitted in a radio
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interview on yesterday.
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The term "crusade" was seen as unfortunate given the historical connotations
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of the Christian crusades in the Middle East in the Middle Ages.
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In spite of raising hackles in the Middle East and Russia, Mr Gueant had
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earlier been unrepentant, telling fellow right-wingers that the modern usage
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of the term "crusade" did not necessarily have religious overtones.
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Mr Gueant, until last month Mr Sarkozy's chief Elysee adviser, is the latest
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embarrassment to cause the government embarrassment.
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## Related Articles
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* [Putin likens Libya air strikes to 'crusades'][6]
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21 Mar 2011
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* [Libya: Gaddafi regime claims 100 civilians have been killed by coalition
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air strikes][7]
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24 Mar 2011
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* [Libya: coalition steps up attacks but Gaddafi tanks still in Misurata][8]
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24 Mar 2011
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* [Gaddafi base 'destroyed' by air strikes][9]
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24 Mar 2011
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* [Hague: Gaddafi is still attacking Libyans][10]
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24 Mar 2011
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* [Gaddafi forces clash with rebels][11]
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24 Mar 2011
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Mr Gueant was named interior minister in a cabinet reshuffle sparked by the
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resignation of former Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie. She was
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discredited after taking a holiday in Tunisia over Christmas, just as a
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popular revolt erupted there.
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Nicknamed "The Cardinal" during his time as the Elysee's secretary general, Mr
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Gueant was admired for his diplomatic skills. But since taking a ministerial
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post, he has been pilloried for his lack of tact.
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"This is a big gaffe. He's got to learn his new job," said a fellow member of
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the ruling UMP party.
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In other inflammatory comments last week, he declared: "The French want France
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to remain France", followed by "due to uncontrolled immigration the French
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sometimes have the feeling they are not at home".
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Then yesterday, he said he thought that users of "certain public services
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"shouldn't wear religious symbols" or "show any religious preference".
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Far from gaffes, however, the opposition and analysts say the comments were
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part of a clear drive to woo the far-Right National Front electorate. The FN
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enjoyed strong gains in local elections last week and Marine Le Pen, the new
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party leader has posted record approval ratings.
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"Are we going to forbid a priest to wear a frock, or a Carmelite from taking
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the metro," asked Jean Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Socialist parliamentary leader?
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"Are we going to ban Jews from wearing the kippa in the post office? Are we
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going to oblige a Muslim to shave his beard in the bus?"
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"This isn't the defence of secularism, this is the Inquisition," said right-
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winger Jean-Pierre Grand.
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[X][12] Share & bookmark
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[What are these?][13]
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* Share: [Share][12] [ ][14] [ ][15]
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[Tweet][16]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8405024/French-
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interior-minister-apologises-for-likening-Libya-intervention-to-a-crusade.html
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Telegraph
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## [France][5]
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* ### [News »][17]
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* ### [World News »][18]
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* ### [Europe »][19]
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* ### [Henry Samuel »][3]
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In news
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[![Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in pictures][20] ][21]
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### [Carla Bruni-Sarkozy][21]
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[![Dominique Strauss-Kahn][22] ][23]
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### [Dominique Strauss-Kahn][23]
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[![Air France crash: how it happened][24] ][25]
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### [Air France crash][25]
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[![Carla - A Secret Life: the unauthorised biography of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in
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pictures][26] ][27]
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### [Carla - A Secret Life][27]
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[![][28] ][29]
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### [French love affair][29]
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[X][12] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][13]
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Share:
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* [ ][12]
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* [ ][14]
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* [ ][15]
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* [Tweet][16]
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* Advertisement
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![][30]
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Advertisement
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[Follow The Telegraph on Social Media »][31]
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Like Telegraph.co.uk on Facebook
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