CLEARSTREAM: Sarkozy’s name ‘never came up’ at pivotal meeting, says de Villepin
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Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin appeared in court on Wednesday to testify on his role in the Clearstream scandal. He told judges that he had never heard of the Clearstream affair until a meeting on January 9, 2004, at the Foreign Ministry, of which he was head at the time. He added that Nicolas Sarkozy name never came up in the context of that discussion. .
He told the judge, I have been steadfast in difficult moments.
General Philippe Rondot, who was working at the ministry of defence at the time, was also present at this meeting, which de Villepin described to the court as a non work-oriented meeting.
January 9, 2004
According to de Villepin testimony, the January 9 meeting was when former EADS president Jean-Louis Gergorin informed Villepin of the existence of the lists. De Villepin said he did not see the files at the meeting.
But, he said firmly, Chirac never gave specific presidential instructions.
De Villepin said he later instructed Rondot to investigate the Clearstream client list, saying that he was acting on the general instructions of the President of the Republic (Jacques Chirac, at the time) to raise the moral standards of international business. At no time was Nicolas Sarkozy mentioned in connection with these lists, he said, adding that Sarkozy was only mentioned in passing, as someone who should not be informed about the list.
Bythem Top Story aired on 30 September 2009
De Villepin was equally adamant about the matter of Nicolas Sarkozy name. They are widely thought to be damning and include the brief note Political stakes, Sarkozy.
The notes Rondot took at the meeting became material evidence in the case.
Jean-Louis Gergorin, former executive VP of French corporation EADS, gave a different version of events from that of his former associate de Villepin.
Jean-Louis Gergorin, former executive VP of French corporation EADS, gave a different version of events from that of his former associate de Villepin.
Gergorin testified that, contrary to de Villepin claim of innocence, the two in fact had a number of clandestine meetings in 2004. Gergorin has already admitted to leaking the false Clearstream list.
Lahoud also took to the stand, confirming his previous statements that Gergorin told him that he had received orders from de Villepin to throw Sarkozy to a judge.
The court read aloud from May 2004 entries in Rondot notebook, wherein Rondot wrote that Gergorin had informed him of these meetings. During a brief interrogation in the court Tuesday he repeated that he never had any idea of, nor held in [his] hands, any falsified lists.
He may already be finished
The crux of de Villepin innocence or guilt depends on whether he knew about the forgery, and whether he in fact gave the order to commit the forgery.
According to them Catherine Norris-Trent, who is covering the trial, No one believes de Villepin will be sentenced to prison. If found guilty, he faces up to 5 years in prison and a ban from holding political office.
But even if the court did not sentence him at all, says Norris-Trent, the maximum damage has already been done to de Villepin. He will most likely get a ban on holding office, which would be a major blow since he still had political ambitions. People are saying that is what the prosecution is going for, she said. People are saying that is what the prosecution is going for, she said.
Clearstream trial – Nicolas Sarkozy