Two a penny

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Saturday the worst of the protests and rioting in the French Caribbean Island Guadeloupe was over, but said much needed to be done to address the discontent roiling the overseas department.

Negotiations are under way.
Negotiations between the Collective Against Exploitation (LKP) and business owners were suspended in Guadeloupe Friday evening after just five hours of discussions. I hope they will be completed and that everyone understands that demands are not satisfied through violence but rather through calm, dialogue and serenity, Sarkozy told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of an annual agricultural fair outside Paris.

Discussions are to resume Monday, and continue to be mediated by the state. The sticking point was that of salaries.

Some progress was made right after President Sarkozy declaration, them special correspondent Cyril Vanier reported from Guadeloupe capital Basse-Terre.

&raquo Reporters&#039 notebook: no end in sight for crippling strike
&raquo them Observers on why Guadeloupe is going up in flames
&raquo Face-off: a revolt overseas?
&raquo Protests reach fever pitch in French Caribbean island
&raquo Ask our correspondents
&raquo them Debate: Crisis in the French Caribbean

On Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy offered 580 million euros in subsidies to four French overseas departments, including the restive islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique , in a bid to quell social unrest.

However, the LKP, a coalition of unions and leftist groups, refused to call off their month-long strike , saying Sarkozy plan failed to offer a concrete solution. The Unions met with a French government representative for the first time in ten days since the negotiations first broke down.

The Unions are unhappy with the offers put forward by the French government, said Vanier.

At the moment, the proposals seem particularly vague to us, Elie Domota, leader of Guadeloupe’s striking unions , told reporters after his meeting with the island’s prefect, Nicolas Desforges, and two French government envoys.

Sarkozy set to visit Guadeloupe

Sarkozy proposed a vast plan of modernisation for the territories and promised to visit Guadeloupe to open a round of consultations following talks with envoys from the island on Thursday in Paris. The union categorically said Sarkozy offer does not meet their demands and they&rsquove been offered crumbs, he added.

Sarkozy laid out his offer hours after French Prime Minister Fran&ccedilois Fillon unveiled the government plan to hike wages for low-income earners by almost 200 euros a month, in accordance with union demands.

Guadeloupe LKP launched a strike on January 20 against the soaring cost of living and demanded a monthly wage rise of 200 euros for low-paid workers. While the French government has offered numerous concessions to the protesters, it had so far balked at the demand for a pay hike, fearing it would be forced to offer the same deal to unions across mainland France.

Amid growing criticism over the government failure to address grievances in the French Caribbean isles, the new proposal marked a shift in the government position. We spoke to some residents who said they want time to study Sarkozy proposal, said Herz. .

Located in the Caribbean, Guadeloupe and Martinique are overseas departments of France, meaning they are French territory with the same status as departments on the French mainland (le m&eacutetropole). But, she added, there was a prevailing sense that the French government could have averted a lot of damage by acting sooner. The French government is represented by a prefect, appointed by the French president.Guadeloupe is a group of five islands with a population of 400,000 Martinique a single island also with around 400,000 residents. The islands send representatives to the National Assembly and the Senate in Paris. The islands send representatives to the National Assembly and the Senate in Paris. Unemployment : 22.7% in Guadeloupe (compared with 8.1% in mainland France). Poverty rate: 12.5% in Guadeloupe (6.1% in mainland France) Racial composition: majority black, with significant white and Indian populations. The economy is largely in the hands of the b&eacutek&eacutes, the local name for white descendants of colonial landlords and plantation owners.

The unrest also spread to neighbouring Martinique, where a strike was launched on February 5. Widespread protests on the two French Caribbean islands have led to extreme fuel and food shortages, further inflaming anger among residents.

Strikes turn deadly

The strikes turned deadly this week when Jacques Bino, a union activist, was killed in Guadeloupe main city of Pointe-a-Pitre on Tuesday.

More than 2,000 people — headed by union coalition leader Domota — participated in a silent street march on Wednesday in tribute to Bino, the first fatality of the violence.

Police arrested at least 39 people Thursday, after gangs of youths looted and ransacked stores on the island northern coast.

ByEve IRVINE – Willy BRACCIANO Businesses go up in smoke

Hundreds of French police and paramilitary gendarmes have been deployed in Guadeloupe to quell the violence.

Most shops, cafes, banks, schools and government offices have been shut on the two islands for the past few weeks, dealing a blow to the popular holiday destinations&rsquo vital tourism industry.

The recent tensions in Guadeloupe and Martinique have also exposed race and class divisions on the island, where the local white elite wields power over the black majority.

The four French overseas departments are Guadeloupe, Martinique, La Reunion and French Guiana.

Guadeloupe – Martinique – Nicolas Sarkozy – petrol – strike – unions

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy staunch defense of his economic policy on prime-time television on Thursday night left national trade unions urging less talk and more action. Everything was put off until further discussion, said Jean-Claude Mailly, head of the Force Ouvriere union.

There was no concrete or immediate action.6-billion-euro investment package to help businesses battle the effects of the financial crisis.

Trade unions are increasingly worked up about Sarkozy refusal to funnel public funds into stimulating consumption, and his preference for a 2.

Meanwhile, leaders of the eight union federations have announced a meeting on Monday to co-ordinate new protest actions.

The trade unions are set to hold a round table with the president on February 18 to discuss possible increases to welfare benefits or partial cuts to income tax.

Sarkozy 90-minute interview, the first since the financial crisis hit the country, was aimed at calming an angry nation. Bernard Thibault, head of the large CGT union, hinted at the possibility of a new strike in an interview aired on France Europe 1 radio station on Friday, during which he argued that the resident was only concerned with businesses and not with French households.5 million people took part in nationwide rallies as trade unions joined together in a national strike. On January 29, between 1 and 2. I hear them and I understand them, Sarkozy said on Thursday.

I understand that people are worried. France is sinking at the moment .

Socialist opposition leader Martine Aubry said France needed action not compassion… Ok, he put some things on the table. (and) the president has not stopped the fall.

Fifteen million French people tuned in on Thursday night as Sarkozy offered several concessions to trade unions in a live interview at the Elys&eacutee palace, including a 1. That is just as well, but it is not good enough and it’s not what all our neighbours are doing, she told RTL radio on Friday. We rescued all the banks, thereby rescuing French savings&hellipIt didn&rsquot cost a euro and it actually made money. We rescued all the banks, thereby rescuing French savings&hellipIt didn&rsquot cost a euro and it actually made money. We can put that money into social programs, for people who need help, said Sarkozy on Thursday. . But local authorities – who are likely to see their funds slashed as a result – are outraged at the president’s failure to give any suggestion of local tax reforms or financial compensation.

Other suggestions were put on the table to stem criticism, such as tax breaks for the lowest paid, a raise of child benefits and forcing companies to share profits with their workers.

Up to 69% of the French public supported last weeks&rsquo strikes, fuelling a flurry of anti-Sarkozy activity. The mainstream left-wing opposition has suddenly awaken from a year-long slumber, while the far left has found a new lease of life in a new political party – known as the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) – created by the popular former postman Olivier Besancenot.

Meanwhile, trade unions in France’s Caribbean island of Guadeloupe announced that strikes which have lasted over two weeks are to continue . The island has ground to a total halt, creating a serious risk of food shortages. The strikers are warning of social chaos if the Paris government and local business leaders fail to meet their demands to lower taxes, hike salaries by 200 euros and slash petrol prices by 50 euro cents a litre. On Thursday, trade unions in the neighbouring island of Martinique called for similar strikes, which were continued on Friday.

financial crisis – French economy – French politics – Nicolas Sarkozy

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China warned on Thursday that multi-billion-dollar trade ties with France could be affected by President Nicolas Sarkozy’s planned meeting with the Dalai Lama.

We attach great importance to our strategic partnership with France, as well as our business relations with France. These two points are closely related, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters.

Liu was responding to a question about the potential impact on trade of Sarkozy’s planned meeting with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

Only under the condition of good bilateral relations can we create a sound atmosphere for our business relations.

Liu again urged Sarkozy to take steps to repair ties, presumably by cancelling the meeting, or risk long-term harm to bilateral relations.

Sarkozy is set to meet the Dalai Lama in Poland on Saturday, despite repeated calls by Beijing to scrap the encounter.

France should really work hard to change this situation, which will determine the development of our bilateral relations, Liu said.

The Dalai Lama insists he only wants greater autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule, and not independence.

Beijing objects to foreign leaders meeting with the Dalai Lama, who it maintains is trying to win independence for his Himalayan homeland, which has been under Chinese rule since 1951. France currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

China has already retaliated by cancelling an EU-China summit that was set for this week.

Trade between China and France was worth 33.

China also postponed talks on finalising a deal for 150 Airbus passenger planes, a spokesman for the European aircraft maker said last week, but Liu’s comments raised the prospect of more serious economic fallout.66 billion dollars last year, up 33.66 billion dollars last year, up 33.

Liu warned that the Tibet row had stirred resentment among Chinese consumers, who earlier this year staged anti-France protests and boycotts of French goods in a previous uproar over Tibet.

Among the high-profile French business interests in China are nuclear firm Areva, flagship car manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen, retail chain Carrefour and engineering company Alstom.

Internet forums, often the only form of public expression for Chinese, have filled recently with anti-French comments.

Due to the French side’s erroneous position, the Chinese people are quite discontent, he said, adding: We hope the Chinese public will remain calm toward China-France relations.com posted a petition condemning Sarkozy that drew more than 82,000 online signatures earlier in the week, while blogs have called for boycotts of French goods.

A forum on government-run China.

Those actions came after Sarkozy linked his attendance at the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony on progress in talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama’s envoys on the future of Tibet. .

diplomacy – Nicolas Sarkozy – Tibet
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There was also anger in China about protests over a Chinese military crackdown on unrest in Tibet that disrupted the international Olympic torch relay in Paris and several other cities

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU presidency, said Thursday he will meet the Dalai Lama next month during a visit to Poland.

The Dalai Lama is a distinguished man, a man who inspires profound respect and I will have the opportunity to see him in Poland on December 6, Sarkozy said.

During a visit to France in August, the Dalai Lama met Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, human rights minister Rama Yade and first lady Carla Bruni.

The Tibetan spiritual leader and Sarkozy will both be attending ceremonies in Poland to mark the 25th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Lech Walesa, the anti-communist union activist who later became president.

China maintains that a meeting with the Dalai Lama at an official level is tantamount to meddling in internal affairs.

But Sarkozy declined a meeting with the Buddhist leader after Beijing warned that such direct contact would have serious consequences for bilateral relations.

The Tibetans should not be subjected to repression and, like everyone else, they have a right to freedom, Sarkozy said at the Elysee palace.

Beijing accuses the Dalai Lama of seeking independence for Tibet but the exiled leader has said he is seeking autonomy and religious freedom, not secession.

One does not justify the other, of course.

But at the same time, should we sever contact with one billion three hundred million Chinese who have made unquestionable progress over the past decade? Sarkozy added. . But if we do not go to Beijing, if we do not discuss, if we do not share our concerns, if we do not progress step-by-step, then how will we ensure that the idea that we have of respect for rights and freedoms will prevail? he said.

But Sarkozy decided to attend the ceremony and has since sought to put relations on a stronger footing.

Dalai Lama – Nicolas Sarkozy – Poland