I really like the United State, its relationship to space and time, its interest in mobility, its cosmopolitanism.

I would sooner want a strong partnership with the United States - even with (US President George W.) Bush, who I think is the worst president in a long, long time. I would sooner want a friendship with Bush than with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.

Europe needs to develop a sense of collective history - we need to write books from a European perspective, to teach it in schools as well.

I reject the idea that there is some sort of existential "clash of civilizations." I am an interventionist, but not a militarist. War should always be a last resort.

The terrorists exist, and I think we must speak to them, not to establish a dialogue-since for serious terrorists that is unfortunately out of the question - but to learn how their brains work, to be better able to fight them.

France is a country where thinking is supposed to be furtive, invisible, almost clandestine. France is a country of cliques and sects.

Even if it doesn't sound like it at first, that's an identity that Europe can go out into the world with and take a leading role.