The United States, for a French citizen, is a friend, an ally, to whom we owe, along with most Europeans, our freedom.

I think that we must come together progressively, with the British, the Germans, the Spanish, the Italians and with the new members of the European Union, we must make an effort to forge closer links.

I believe that transatlantic relations are very important and that President Bush's visit to Brussels, in a few days, will have a major impact on that.

The United States, for a French citizen, is a friend, an ally, to whom we owe, along with most Europeans, our freedom.

France has a very important relationship with Germany. But that does not mean that we agree about everything or that two of our universities or companies are not going to compete.

I am a believer, but I affirm that in public buildings the law of the Republic overrides religious rules.

When I see the cultural diversity that exists today, I feel that we must defend it, and we need Europe, because otherwise we are going to live in a society with a single model, the Anglo-American model.