Sarkozy says crisis not finished, but leading to world where French voice will be better heard

September 23rd, 2009 Sarkozy: Restructure world's financial flowsUNITED NATIONS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday condemned "the behavior of those who still continue to grow indecently rich, after leading the world to the brink of disaster," and called for a vast overhaul of the world's financial system. Speaking to world leaders at the U.N.

September 17th, 2009 France: EU calls for global cap on bank payBRUSSELS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy says that EU leaders have agreed to impose a cap on bankers' pay. He told reporters that all 27 EU nations are in "total unity" that the world cannot repeat the "scandal" of bonuses for executives and traders that encouraged banks to take huge risks.

September 14th, 2009 PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has threatened to walk out of this month's meeting of the G20 group of nations if no agreement is found on limiting the bonus of executives, the daily Le Figaro reported Monday. "If there is no concrete decision, I will leave," Sarkozy was quoted as saying.

September 8th, 2009 France's Sarkozy hails Bongo in Gabon electionPARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office says he has sent a letter of congratulations to Gabon's newly elected president, Ali Bongo — in a vote contested by the opposition in the African country. A Sarkozy spokesman says the presidential palace sent the letter but that the receiving country usually announces such correspondence.

August 26th, 2009 Sarkozy calls for worldwide bonus rulesPARIS — President Nicolas Sarkozy is urging other countries to follow France's example and limit bonuses handed out to bank traders to avert the kind of risk-taking blamed for fueling the financial crisis. Sarkozy also says that current world governance systems such as the Group of Eight are "stupid" and that they should be broadened to include poorer nations.

July 26th, 2009 PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy was taken to hospital Sunday after falling ill while exercising, French media reports said. France Info radio said the incident occurred before noon at his residence in Versailles.

July 26th, 2009 France's Sarkozy has health scare while exercisingPARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy felt unwell while exercising Sunday and was undergoing medical tests, the Elysee Palace announced. Sarkozy "felt faint" Sunday while exercising and his personal doctor immediately took charge and ordered medical tests, the two-paragraph statement said.

July 6th, 2009 Sarkozy names team to guide French bond issuePARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy assigned a leading conservative and leading Socialist on Monday to figure out how to spend money from an exceptional government bond issue meant to stimulate the recession-hit economy. Sarkozy named former prime ministers Alain Juppe and Michel Rocard to work out the priorities for the "exceptional investment effort to prepare France's future." Last month Sarkozy announced plans for a bond issue designed to boost investment in the French economy, suffering its worst recession in 30 years.

June 7th, 2009 Obama, Sarkozy disagree Turkey's entry to EUCAEN, France — President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy don't see eye to eye on whether Turkey should be allowed to join the European Union. Obama supports EU membership for the largely Muslim country.

April 29th, 2009 Sarkozy unveils sweeping new vision for ParisPARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy has unveiled an ambitious, costly new plan to rethink the structure of Paris and its troubled suburbs. Sarkozy says a key focus of the plan should be expanding the French capital's links to the English Channel via more trade along the Seine River and a new high-speed rail line to Le Havre.

April 17th, 2009 PARIS - French president Nicholas Sarkozy has managed to insult three of his country's closest allies over a brief lunch at the Elysée Palace. Sarkozy described U S President Obama was inexperienced and badly briefed on climate change, the Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero wasn't very clever and German Chancellor Angela Merkel did not share his foresight about how to tackle the global financial crisis.

April 11th, 2009 PARIS - French president Nicolas Sarkozy has received a letter containing two bullets, prompting speculation that one was intended for him and the other for his wife, Carla Bruni. It is the second time in a month the president has been sent death threats by post, but the first time France's First Lady has potentially been targeted.

April 3rd, 2009 LONDON - The French chef, who will cook Nato lunch for Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama, has said that Brit cook Jamie Oliver's palatable dishes are no match to the French cuisine, which he described as the "most exceptional in the world". When asked about Oliver's culinary talent, Emile Jung, who runs the celebrated Michelin two-starred restaurant, Le Crocodile, in Strasbourg, France, admitted that he had heard about Britain's best-loved chef.

February 21st, 2009 PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, angered by protest incidents in the past, is now paying visits to local communities with protection provided by hundreds of police and gendarmes, officials confirmed Thursday. A visit to the Loire valley town of Daumeray with a population of 1,600, took place with 700 police providing security, the gendarme office in Angers said.

January 19th, 2009 PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to convene a wide-ranging international Middle East peace conference here, the daily Le Figaro reported Tuesday, citing sources close to the president. Sarkozy introduced the idea of the peace conference at Sunday's summit meeting in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh, saying that its aim would be 'to finally secure peace this year'.