Over at the Elysee Palace, Nicolas Sarkozy has just finished his press briefing on France’s plans for the G8 and G20 this year. Going through the readout I’ve just received from someone who was in the room, it sounds like there were some pretty hilarious gems.
As, for instance, when Sarko was discussing high food prices and turned to the issue of food export bans. Apparently Sarko doesn’t contest countries’ right to impose such bans, but thinks we need an agreement to avoid unilateral decisions. And he’s asked President Medvedev to lead on this. Presumably this is a different President Medvedev to the one who, er, unilaterally imposed export restrictions on Russian wheat last summer?
Also: the international monetary system is another priority for La France, especially the need to tackle global imbalances. And who’ve they found to lead on this? Er, Germany… yes, that’s the same Germany that refuses to talk about its massive trade surplus. Ahem.
In other news: who who’ll be leading on global governance in the G8 and G20 this year? David Cameron! (No, really, he is.)
Follow more Sarko G20 delights at @FranceG20 on Twitter. Go on, they’ve only got 33 followers – it would be an act of kindness.
