Word: french
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...long stint of international isolation by making Syria a founding member of the newly formed Mediterranean Union. Although Sarkozy faced heated criticism in July for embracing Assad - who is denounced by human rights activists and widely accused of orchestrating the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri - the French President has defended the move as realpolitik designed to turn an enemy into an ally. That argument will now be put to the test...
...Israel's deaf ear to Sarkozy's plea has raised the diplomatic stakes involved. Although the French President's trip to Egypt, Syria and Lebanon had been set long ago, stops in Ramallah and Jerusalem have been added to discuss "possible paths to peace" with various leaders. Elysée officials say Sarkozy won't be advancing any plans for resolving longer-term conflicts but rather seeking to use his influence and rare good relations with major players in the area to get the fighting to stop. "For now, all other questions are secondary to the issue of restoring peace...
...hammering out a truce. But the main event of Sarkozy's peacemaking foray will more likely be in Damascus, where he will meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday. Sarkozy's recent rapprochement with Syria, the regional player with the most influence over Hamas, means that the French President may have more diplomatic leverage than many of his Western counterparts...
...Sarkozy may have a short window for making progress. "Nicolas Sarkozy uses his energy and good faith to change the world - and that has had its chance as an alternative to the universally rejected Bush doctrine," wrote editorialist Yves Thréard in the French daily Le Figaro on Friday. "But Obama taking command will alter that equation, and risks crowding [Sarkozy...
...youths wanting to make sure the rest of the country doesn't forget they exist. And their fiery presence is never felt so strongly as it is each New Year's Eve - the day of France's unofficial festival of car-burning. (Read a special report on the 2005 French riots...