Sarkozy's Astonishing Anger Against Iran Finally Explained: Cecilia Divorced him

ccun.org, October 19, 2007

A Call from the ccun.org Editor:

President Sarkozy surprised international relations students and observers when he lately called for attacking Iran for its nuclear program. This was an unexpected radical change in the French foreign policy and a sudden departure from his predecessor's policy.

It seems that his statements about attacking Iran reflected his unstable family life than an objective decision making.

For the sake of international peace, this is a call from the ccun.org Editor for French women to solve Nicolas's problem as soon as possible.

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KADHAFI REGRETS DIVORCE OF HIS SARKOZY 'FRIENDS'

Friday, 19 October 2007 08:11:00 GMT

TRIPOLI, Oct 19, 2007 (AFP) -

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi has voiced regret at the divorce of France's first couple, whose joint involvement in resolving a long-running row between Tripoli and the EU has sparked a French parliamentary inquiry.

"In a personal capacity, I wish to express my deep regret at the separation of my two very close friends (President Nicolas) Sarkozy and Cecilia," Kadhafi told AFP in a statement late Thursday.

Kadhafi regretted that the breakup "came abruptly giving no time for personal intervention by their friends to reconcile them."

Sarkozy's office announced on Thursday that he and his wife had divorced by mutual consent, ending an often tempestuous 11 year marriage.
In one of her few forays into public affairs, the former first lady made two high-profile trips to Tripoli earlier this year to resolve the long-running case of six Bulgarian medics on death row on charges of infecting Libyan children with the AIDS virus.

She told a newspaper last month that she held face-to-face negotiations with Kadhafi to persuade him to free the five nurses and a doctor whom she later accompanied home to Sofia in July.

Sarkozy himself visited Tripoli in late July for only the second visit by a French president.

French members of parliament last week set up a commission of inquiry into whether the Libyan leader had been offered incentives to smooth the deal, including French military aid.

The commission is to hear testimony from top aides to Sarkozy but the president has rejected opposition calls for his wife to come before the commission and explain her role as his special envoy to Tripoli.
"Cecilia did an absolutely remarkable job. But if someone has to be held accountable, then it should be me. I'm the one who is responsible," Sarkozy said last month.

The Socialist opposition in parliament has questioned whether the medics' release and a military cooperation agreement with France announced the following day were linked.

The government has denied any deal with Tripoli, with Cecilia saying in the newspaper interview that she only offered medical assistance to a local hospital treating the AIDS-infected children.

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French media says Sarkozys saw divorce judge

By Crispian Balmer

Wed Oct 17, 2007, 1:47 PM

PARIS (Reuters) -

President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia have launched divorce proceedings, French media reported on Wednesday, piling pressure on the Elysee Palace to break its silence on rampant speculation of a separation.

Sarkozy's spokesman declined to comment on the reports, as he has during weeks of mounting rumors about a breakdown of the 11-year marriage.

However, Wednesday's stories on the Web sites of the respected weekly Le Nouvel Observateur and the LCI television station broke new ground, saying France's first couple had actually filed for divorce.

Le Nouvel Observateur said the pair saw a judge late on Monday to finalize the divorce details.

LCI said Cecilia applied for a divorce on Monday and a judge went to the Elysee, the president's residence, later the same day to see Sarkozy and validate the procedure.

If the legal proceedings have indeed started, it could still take several weeks before any divorce is finalized.

Sarkozy, 52, and Cecilia, a 49-year old former model, got married in 1996. They have a young son and two children each from their previous marriages.

Cecilia played a major role in her husband's career, serving as an adviser during his rise to power, and Sarkozy has said her presence was essential to his well-being.

The couple split in 2005, but got back together amidst a blaze of publicity at the start of 2006, with Sarkozy writing in a book that he thought they would remain together for ever.

However, talk of fresh marital strife surfaced during this year's election campaign when Cecilia failed to show up at her husband's countless rallies. Since his May victory, she has attended only three official events, the last time on July 14.

The French media, usually shy about reporting on the private lives of its politicians, has grown increasingly bold in its coverage of the affair, openly questioning ministers and government spokesman about the situation.

Education Minister Xavier Darcos told France Info radio on Wednesday he did not know what was going on, but added: "I always find it very sad to see that love can fall apart."

As president, Sarkozy enjoys legal immunity and experts have said a divorce could only go ahead if he did not oppose it.

However, newspapers have quoted some experts as saying any legal proceeding involving the president could not be validated until after he left office.

Sarkozy is due to travel to Lisbon on Thursday for a European Union summit, giving reporters an opportunity to question him about the reports.

Divorce proceedings in France are not made public and it is up to the couples to reveal any separation if they see fit.

(Additional reporting by Jon Boyle)

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French President Sarkozy, wife Cecilia divorce


	French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia arrive at Rostock-Laage airport in this June 6, 2007 file photo. Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia are separating by mutual agreement, the president's office said in a statement on Oct. 18, 2007. The announcement ends weeks of speculation about the state of the Sarkozy marriage and follows media reports that the pair secretly saw a judge on Monday to file for divorce. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo, 10/18/07).

www.chinaview.cn 2007-10-18 23:13:50 Print

PARIS, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) --

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia have divorced after 11 years of marriage, Sarkozy's office said Thursday.

"Cecilia and Nicolas Sarkozy announce their separation by mutual consent. They will make no comment," said a statement released by the Elysee Palace.

A second statement issued two hours later said the couple, who have a 10-year-old son, "have divorced by mutual consent."

Sarkozy is the first French president to divorce while in power. As the news broke, the president left for a European Union summit in Lisbon.

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Background:

Sarkozy's wife caught on camera with 'lover'

Gulf News, The Telegraph Group Limited,

Published: 08/29/2005

The smiling couple enjoying an al fresco lunch in one of Paris's busiest street cafes did not notice that they were being photographed.

In an unguarded moment, the man, dressed casually in denim shirt and jeans, leaned across to hold his companion's hand.

With that simple gesture, the future of one of France's most high-profile political marriages was thrown into doubt.

Last week, the photographs of Cecilia Sarkozy the 47-year-old wife of the French interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy and her alleged lover, the events organiser Richard Attias, were published in the weekly magazine Paris Match.

There was also a shot of the two of them sightseeing in New York, accompanied by an article detailing the couple's various public appearances over the last few months.

Now Nicolas Sarkozy, 50, is believed to be considering divorce rather than run the risk of damaging his political reputation as leader of the Union for a Popular Majority (UMP) political party.

The Sarkozys are also, according to political colleagues, taking advice on whether to sue Paris Match.

Herve Mariton, the vice-president of the UMP, told The Sunday Telegraph that the magazine article was "regrettable".

"Recently, Paris Match has pushed the limits and has been put in its place," he said.

"It is being sued by the former prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, for taking photos of his holiday in Crete following his resignation. Jean-Louis Borloo, the minister of social cohesion, sued the magazine for taking snaps of a weekend away with his wife."

Although the French are relatively tolerant of their male politicians having affairs, they are unlikely to be as sympathetic towards a cuckolded husband.

"Nearly all of our successful male politicians have a history of affairs and divorces," said one political commentator.

"Francois Mitterrand had a long-standing mistress and this was seen as evidence of his masculinity his virility, if you like. For Sarkozy, it's the very opposite."

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