Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 30 May 2017

French president flexes diplomatic muscles in Putin meeting

against terrorism, in par- said, “Stop homophobia in
ticular, appeared to offer Chechnya.”
common ground. Any use of chemical weap-
Putin said Macron pro- ons in Syria is a “red line” for
posed a framework for France and would be met
French and Russian anti- by “reprisals” and an “im-
terror experts to meet and mediate riposte” from the
work together. And both government, Macron said.
leaders agreed they don’t He did not specify the form
want Syria — where Russia of such reprisals, but France
is propping up the govern- flies warplanes over Syria
ment of President Bashar and Iraq, striking Islamic
Assad — to collapse into a State targets as part of an
failed state. international coalition.
Progress in Syria “will hap- On Sputnik and Russia To-
pen by a joint effort, which day, Macron showed little
today we laid the founda- restraint, saying the two
tions for,” Macron said. organizations spread “un-
Speaking through a trans- truths about me and my
lator, Putin said the two campaign” during the
countries were “totally ca- French election.
pable of trying to progress “I will not give an inch on
together” on world affairs. this,” he said. “Russia Today
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, is welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron at the “What unites us allows us to and Sputnik ... behaved as
Palace of Versailles, near Paris, France, Monday, May 29, 2017. Monday’s meeting comes in the hope that the possibility ex- organs of influence, of pro-
wake of the Group of Seven’s summit over the weekend where relations with Russia were part of ists to improve our ties,” he paganda, of lying propa-
the agenda, making Macron the first Western leader to speak to Putin after the talks.
(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, pool) added later. ganda.”
But there was no disguising Putin, seemingly unfazed,
By SYLVIE CORBET media outlets he accused fulfilled the French presi- the rifts. pushed back any sugges-
JOHN LEICESTER of spreading “lying propa- dent’s campaign promises Macron said he spoke to tion that Russia sought to
Associated Press ganda” during France’s to pull no punches with Rus- Putin about LGBT rights influence the election. Rus-
VERSAILLES, France (AP) presidential campaign. sia when needed. in the Russian republic of sian meddling became
— Flexing his diplomatic Macron’s full-on blast at the But after more than two Chechnya and about the a concern in France af-
muscles, French President state news agency Sputnik hours of meetings — their rights of embattled non- ter allegations that Russia
Emmanuel Macron said he and broadcaster Russia To- first since Macron’s May 7 governmental organiza- sought to interfere in the
had “extremely frank” and day came at a news con- election and longer than tions in Russia, vowing to U.S. presidential contest
“direct” talks with Russian ference with Putin standing scheduled — both lead- be “vigilant” on these is- that elected Donald Trump
President Vladimir Putin on at his side. His comments ers also signaled a shared sues. Earlier Monday, hu- and after a document leak
Monday and launched an underscored the clear dif- desire not to let disagree- man rights activists protest- hit Macron’s campaign in
extraordinary attack on ferences between the two ments define their fledg- ing near the Eiffel Tower the final hours of the French
two state-funded Russian men on multiple issues and ling relationship. The fight displayed a banner that race.q

Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn face tough questions on live TV

By GREGORY KATZ members of the audience same studio at the same decided and that she is as a “blowhard who col-
Associated Press and by aggressive inter- time, but they did not ap- determined to get the best lapses at the first sound of
LONDON (AP) — Prime viewer Jeremy Paxman. pear together at any point. deal possible. gunfire.”
Minister Theresa May and The June 8 election pits Voters are not likely to get “We are doing the right May often found herself
Labour Party leader Jer- May, the Conservative a true debate before the thing in making a success on the defensive as audi-
emy Corbyn faced tough Party leader who opposed vote. of Brexit,” she said, vowing ence members grilled her
questions and a skeptical Brexit before the referen- Facing harsh questioning to maintain her reputation on cuts to the police, Na-
audience in a live TV event dum last June but now fa- from Paxman, one of Brit- as a “bloody difficult wom- tional Health Service and
Monday night ahead of vors it, against Corbyn, who ain’s best known TV jour- an” during talks with Euro- education, and a so-called
next week’s parliamentary has alienated many long- nalists, May defended her pean Union leaders if her “dementia tax” that might
elections. time Labour supporters with about-face on Brexit. She party wins the election and make it harder for elder-
It was not a debate, but his hard-left views. rebuffed his repeated at- keeps power. ly Britons to pass on their
did air policy and stylistic The “Battle for Number tempts to get her to say But Paxman set the tone property to their heirs.
differences between the 10” show broadcast on whether she now thinks by saying that if he were
two foes. They did not ap- Sky News and Channel leaving the European Union an EU negotiator who had At one point a heckler
pear together but were 4 brought the two prime is a good idea, saying only observed all her recent flip yelled, “You’ve clearly
questioned separately by contenders together in the that the British voters have flops, he would think of her failed.”q