French Press: Bush Ignores Chirac

Le Figaro wrote yesterday that the issue of Turkey’s EU membership has created a new argument between Bush and Chirac to follow their public disagreement on Iraq. In response to Bush’s claim that the EU should start negotiations with Turkey, Chirac said that Bush jumped into a matter which was not his business. By reporting that Bush gave a hot speech before a symbolic décor at Galatasaray, Le Figaro reported that the White House did not care about Chirac’s advice and added that Chirac was left alone against the US in Istanbul and that the French delegation was stranded after the US statement regarding the transfer of administration in Iraq.