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This is a topic from the Current Politics and Religious Topics forum on inthe00s.
Subject: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: GWBush2004 on 07/05/05 at 1:03 am
Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
The Daily Telegraph
By: Toby Helm
07/05/05
Anglo-French tensions heightened last night after Jacques Chirac delivered a series of insults to Britain as London and Paris fought to secure the 2012 Olympic Games and faced fresh disagreement at the G8 summit.
The president, chatting to the German and Russian leaders in a Russian cafe, said: "The only thing have ever given European farming is mad cow." Then, like generations of French people before him, he also poked fun at British cuisine.
Gerhard Schroeder, Jacques Chirac and Vladimir Putin Jacques Chirac entertains Gerhard Schröder and Vladimir Putin at a Russian cafe
"You can't trust people who cook as badly as that," he said. "After Finland, it's the country with the worst food."
"But what about hamburgers?" said Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, referring to America.
"Oh no, hamburgers are nothing in comparison," Mr Chirac said.
Mr Putin and Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, laughed. Mr Chirac then recalled how George Robertson, the former Nato secretary general and a former defence secretary in Tony Blair's Cabinet, had once made him try an "unappetising" Scottish dish, apparently meaning haggis.
"That's where our problems with Nato come from," he said.
Mr Schröder and Mr Putin laughed again.
Unfortunately for the leaders, all of whom will be guests of Britain at the G8 summit opening at Gleneagles tomorrow, the remarks were recorded by a journalist without their knowledge and published in the French newspaper Liberation.
No 10 reacted with disbelief, saying it would not respond to such undiplomatic comments. British officials were particularly angered by the mad cow remark, saying that France had exacerbated the BSE crisis by refusing to accept British beef after it had been declared safe.
Mr Chirac, Mr Schröder and Mr Putin were meeting to prepare for the G8 summit and celebrate the 750th anniversary of Kaliningrad, formerly Königsberg, which was annexed by Russia in 1945. Lorraine Millot, the Liberation reporter who overheard them, said Mr Chirac spoke in French and his counterparts in German. At least three interpreters were present.
Miss Millot said she also heard Mr Chirac say it was not his fault that he had been half an hour late for the Queen at a royal banquet to mark the centenary of the entente cordiale in November. He said "the British did not respect protocol".
The Prime Minister, in Singapore to push London's bid for the Olympics against the favourite, Paris, was said to be furious when told of the comments. But officials said that, as the holder of the G8 and EU presidencies, he was determined to retain the moral high ground.
"There are some things that are just not responded to," his official spokesman said.
Mr Blair's relations with Mr Chirac were already at a low ebb after rows over the Common Agricultural Policy and Britain's EU rebate compounded deep disagreement over the Iraq war.
Mr Blair is likely to use the Gleneagles meeting to make a fresh pitch for reform of the CAP. He will argue that, while it helps to prop up French agriculture, it harms developing nations by denying them the chance to compete with subsidised EU farmers.
Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/05/wchir05.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/07/05/ixportaltop.html
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: MaxwellSmart on 07/05/05 at 4:21 am
Don't forget about chipped potatoes (aka French fries, which are actually Belgian)!
How about "bubble and squeak"!
I've been to the UK, the food blows!
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: danootaandme on 07/05/05 at 6:25 am
Don't forget about chipped potatoes (aka French fries, which are actually Belgian)!
How about "bubble and squeak"!
I've been to the UK, the food blows!
Man o Man, ditto that. I remember that I couldn't wait to get home for a simple glass of orange juice.
I asked for it once and got this stuff called orange squash that was just Kool-Aid. :P
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: McDonald on 07/05/05 at 11:37 am
So what bush was this journalist hiding in to get all this detailed information on what would probably have been a private, security ridden conversation between important world leaders...? Kind of smells if you ask me.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: philbo on 07/05/05 at 5:02 pm
Man o Man, ditto that. I remember that I couldn't wait to get home for a simple glass of orange juice.
I asked for it once and got this stuff called orange squash that was just Kool-Aid. :P
er... I don't get it - what's the problem with getting an OJ here?
I've been to the UK, the food blows!
From the country that brought the world the Mcdonald's hamburger, that's a bit rich...
And if you think the food is bad, you're eating in the wrong places.
But as for Chirac, I guess he just doesn't like haggis
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: Brian Damaged on 07/05/05 at 7:03 pm
Why are Americans always talking about how bad the food is this place and that place? People here eat cold tuna fish from a can with mayonnaise and celery between two slices of white bread! All the good food in America comes from someplace else!
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: Powerslave on 07/05/05 at 7:20 pm
The French are insulting the British. What a surprise.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: Alchoholica on 07/05/05 at 8:14 pm
The French are insulting the British. What a surprise.
Oh God.. I'm flattened.
That's it i'm moving back to defend Britain's culinary Honor ;D
I can hardly take it seriously when you consider these men represent the nations that gave us Communism, Two World Wars and of course the French Language.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: JamieMcBain on 07/05/05 at 9:29 pm
The French are insulting the British. What a surprise.
;D
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: MaxwellSmart on 07/05/05 at 11:33 pm
er... I don't get it - what's the problem with getting an OJ here?
From the country that brought the world the Mcdonald's hamburger, that's a bit rich...
Haut cuisine compared to White Castle hamburgers...
and don't forget Yankee pot roast, southern-fried steak, hominy grits, fiddlehead greens, fried dough, beef jerky, hushpuppies, Shake 'n Bake pork chops, lime Jell-o, Kool-Aid, Froot Loops, chili-cheese fries, and other great American delicacies!
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: philbo on 07/06/05 at 12:50 am
:-)
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: goodsin on 07/06/05 at 2:02 am
The French are insulting the British. What a surprise.
Yes, it is a bloody insult. We gave the bastards Foot & Mouth as well, don't we get any credit for that? ;D
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: whitewolf on 07/06/05 at 8:01 am
sounds to me like the french are trying to get the games moved from britian and host it themselves.
typical for the french to stoop low to get what they want. ::)
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: goodsin on 07/06/05 at 8:14 am
I can't really comment on that, but London has the bid anyway. Come on over & eat some mad cow, you cheese eating surrender monkey! ;D
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: Gis on 07/06/05 at 3:30 pm
Haut cuisine compared to White Castle hamburgers...
and don't forget Yankee pot roast, southern-fried steak, hominy grits, fiddlehead greens, fried dough, beef jerky, hushpuppies, Shake 'n Bake pork chops, lime Jell-o, Kool-Aid, Froot Loops, chili-cheese fries, and other great American delicacies!
Ok, so to be really picky here.I think you'll find that all of those dishes you mentioned originated in the countries of the immigrants/slaves who moved/were shipped to America and started cooking them there.
To echo Philbo if you think English food is bad you've been eating in the wrong places ! I have been to America many times and have eaten hideous food there too, it really does depend on what restaurant you are eating in not what country.
On my last visit to Florida I couldn't wait to get home and eat some decent vegetables they were just nonexistant there, oh and a decent cup of tea too!
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: philbo on 07/06/05 at 3:36 pm
sounds to me like the french are trying to get the games moved from britian and host it themselves.
Just as what Tony Blair says doesn't always represent what I think or feel, it's a bit unfair to tarnish *all* the French based on one comment from a corrupt and aging leader who's seeing his popularity vanish in the mist and thinks that bashing the English is the way to make himself more popular with his electorate...
...and it could well be that his comments might have swung the two IOC members which is all it needed to shift the balance over to London... which would be poetic justice, if you think about it.  And if said IOC bod(s) were to go public and say that, just think: what would that do to Chirac's poll ratings? :D
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: Paul on 07/06/05 at 3:39 pm
The French are insulting the British. What a surprise.
We love it...!!
Strange that 'Le Crazy Frog' never seems to remember the 14 official outbreaks of 'Mad Cow Disease' in his fair nation...
Mind you, they were kept very 'hush hush'...p'raps he didn't hear...
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: whitewolf on 07/06/05 at 4:26 pm
Just as what Tony Blair says doesn't always represent what I think or feel, it's a bit unfair to tarnish *all* the French based on one comment from a corrupt and aging leader who's seeing his popularity vanish in the mist and thinks that bashing the English is the way to make himself more popular with his electorate...
...and it could well be that his comments might have swung the two IOC members which is all it needed to shift the balance over to London... which would be poetic justice, if you think about it.  And if said IOC bod(s) were to go public and say that, just think: what would that do to Chirac's poll ratings? :D
I blame the french for pretty much everything, Haven't met one yet that I could trust.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: philbo on 07/06/05 at 4:59 pm
I blame the french for pretty much everything, Haven't met one yet that I could trust.
:)
I've met a lot that I like (and like a lot), and a lot who fit the typical anti-English stereotype.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: McDonald on 07/06/05 at 10:39 pm
Oh God.. I'm flattened.
That's it i'm moving back to defend Britain's culinary Honor ;D
I can hardly take it seriously when you consider these men represent the nations that gave us Communism, Two World Wars and of course the French Language.
Qu'est-ce que vous savez de la langue français? Ne soit pas un crétin depuis dix minutes!
C'est quoi, la problème avec les français? Savez-vous qu'il y a plusieurs de français dans notre langue. Anglais a reçu un grand nombre des mots français après l'invasion normande de 1066. Il y a mots que vous utilisez chaque jour qui viennent de la langue français.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: Alchoholica on 07/06/05 at 10:42 pm
Qu'est-ce que vous savez de la langue français? Ne soit pas un crétin depuis dix minutes!
C'est quoi, la problème avec les français? Savez-vous qu'il y a plusieurs de français dans notre langue. Anglais a reçu un grand nombre des mots français après l'invasion normande de 1066. Il y a mots que vous utilisez chaque jour qui viennent de la langue français.
Actually i usually tend to be an idiot for around 5 minutes. You know French is mandatory in English schools pal.
Yup, i know all about the words that came over, my last name is a bastardized french word.
It was a joke Pal.. try speaking French without sounding like your about to be sick.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: saver on 07/06/05 at 10:53 pm
Yeah, Chirac and I LOVE horsemeat and snails such a lucious meal...
Also those neat French TANKS with the 5 gears 1 to move forward and $ to reverse! :o :o ;) ;)
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: goodsin on 07/07/05 at 1:17 am
I've mixed feelings about the French; met some really nice French people, some darned arrogant ones too. This whole Olympic bid thing has really stirred up Anglo-French hostility; I'm not really that pleased the UK won it, as I think the stated benefits are likely to evaporate in a mist of under-costed projects & increased tax burden.
My theory is that Tony Bliar's motivation behind backing the UK olympic bid is twofold:
1. He gets to fuel his massive ego by being able to claim he was "the PM to bring the olympics to Britain"
2. He gets to s**t on his successor by leaving them to sort out the inevitable financial mess that will follow.
Haven't seen that theory anywhere else (well, the first part is fairly obvious!), will be bandying it about UK messageboards to see what reaction I'll get...
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: goodsin on 07/07/05 at 1:32 am
Yeah, Chirac and I LOVE horsemeat and snails such a lucious meal...
They even eat songbirds in some places, FCS! As for French food, I think some of it's better than the UK's, some not.
Chirac can mouth off all he likes about British farming, he's just got his knickers in a twist because Bliar won't let him foist CAP concessions on Britain without the whole system being overhauled, which is making Chirac (more) unpopular in France. France is currently the country whose farmers are most subsidized by the EU per capita, and Chirac is anxious to protect that.
What Chirac seems to forget is that France, along with Spain & Portugal, have taken advantage of EU fishery rules & emptied the seas around Britain of most of our traditional fish species, by taking undersize fish that have not spawned yet. As a result, the UK fishing industry has all but gone down the pan, and several species that used to be common 30 years ago are now endangered. If Chirac thinks that the rebate Britain gets from it's EU payments comes anywhere near balancing his country's act of environmental vandalism on UK seas, he is indeed as stupid and blinkered as his recent comments have indicated.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: McDonald on 07/09/05 at 1:52 pm
Actually i usually tend to be an idiot for around 5 minutes. You know French is mandatory in English schools pal.
Yup, i know all about the words that came over, my last name is a bastardized french word.
It was a joke Pal.. try speaking French without sounding like your about to be sick.
Oh la la! J'ai vu ta réponse et j'ai pensé immediatement que tu étais GW! Je n'ai pas vu ton nom. I just saw your comment and assumed you were someone that you weren't. Désolé. Considering his usual attitude, such a comment coming from him would not have sounded very funny.
Mais, si on a l'aire de GW dans ses réponses, peut être il faut faire plus d'attention. It was my mistake, in any case.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad
Written By: Alchoholica on 07/09/05 at 3:06 pm
Oh la la! J'ai vu ta réponse et j'ai pensé immediatement que tu étais GW! Je n'ai pas vu ton nom. I just saw your comment and assumed you were someone that you weren't. Désolé. Considering his usual attitude, such a comment coming from him would not have sounded very funny.
Mais, si on a l'aire de GW dans ses réponses, peut être il faut faire plus d'attention. It was my mistake, in any case.
I concede defeat on this one, your french is a darn sight better than mine but from what i can get from that...
Wouldn't worry about it, the humor would be lost anyway, odd that we haven't seen any sort of response isn't it. ::)
Maybe i ought to exercise more caution.. but the French really do rub me the wrong way.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: philbo on 07/09/05 at 3:21 pm
It was a joke Pal.. try speaking French without sounding like your about to be sick.
You want to try Polish... having said that, speaking Polish sounds more like you're drunk than sick.
Subject: Re: Chirac: 'The only thing the British have ever given European farming is mad cow'
Written By: LyricBoy on 07/10/05 at 8:11 am
Haut cuisine compared to White Castle hamburgers...
and don't forget Yankee pot roast, southern-fried steak, hominy grits, fiddlehead greens, fried dough, beef jerky, hushpuppies, Shake 'n Bake pork chops, lime Jell-o, Kool-Aid, Froot Loops, chili-cheese fries, and other great American delicacies!
Hey Max, have you been hacking my computer? You just called out my entire menu for today!
;D ;D