We have chased away the clouds, the sky is all 'rose.'

I have defended the interests of France at the G8 in Washington; afterwards I was at Chicago to announce the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan; I have participated in two European summits, so I have fully respected the engagements I made to the French.

I don't want to drive the markets crazy. I don't want to create trouble, but rather order and rules and norms. We have to struggle against financial excesses, those who speculate with sovereign debt, those who develop financial products which have done so much harm.

I'm not a lukewarm European. I know that the German-French friendship is indispensable, no matter who the countries' leaders are.

Is France a northern European export powerhouse, or a Mediterranean indebted and dependent economy? Yes to both.

Austerity need not be Europe's fate.

If we don't manage to find not just a compromise but a lasting peace agreement, we know perfectly well what the scenario will be. It has a name, it's called war.