LUXEMBOURG: French European affairs minister salutes the memory of Boris Yeltsin

Record ID: 561151

  • Title: LUXEMBOURG: French European affairs minister salutes the memory of Boris Yeltsin
  • Date: 24th April 2007
  • Summary: (EU) LUXEMBOURG (APRIL 23, 2007) (REUTERS) FRENCH EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MINISTER CATHERINE COLONNA, ATTENDING A EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING, SITTING DOWN FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MINISTER CATHERINE COLONNA, SAYING: "The presidency, when it was time for me to speak, spoke positively about the French elections, the turnout, in particular, struck, I think, all of our partners. And it is good news for democracy." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MINISTER CATHERINE COLONNA, SAYING: "We must, as a friend of Russia, salute the memory of President Yeltsin, who was a quality partner for us, with an unequalled personality and charisma. But what I want to remind ourselves of today in particular is that he was one of those who stood up at the right moment to take the side of the democrats and put his country on the path of modernity. There is still some way to go but today we must regret his disappearance. It's this memory that I want, in particular, to remind you of."
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Luxembourg
  • Country: Luxembourg
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA1WOD8YXEW02OVJJ6FXIUPJLFW
  • Story Text: French European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna says Boris Yeltsin had unequalled personality and charisma. French European Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna paid tribute on Monday (April 23) to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, whose death was announced earlier.
    Colonna, speaking at a news conference during a European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg, also said the high turnout to the first round of the French presidential election at the weekend was good for democracy.
    Colonna said that as a friend of Russia, France saluted the memory of the former Russian president.
    "What I want to remind ourselves of today in particular is that he was one of those who stood up at the right moment to take the side of the democrats and put his country on the path of modernity. There is still some way to go but today we must regret his disappearance," she said.
    She said the response among other EU countries to the the French vote on Sunday (April 22) had been positive.
    MT/AD
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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