Sarko vs Mandy and the TV technician

President Sarkozy has started a war of words with EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson just after delivering a brief lecture on manners to a TV technician.

Sarkozy’s interview on France 3 has caused fallout across Europe, with jibes flying between Mandelson and the president and unauthorised pre-interview footage gaining viewers on the internet.

In the clip Sarkozy is heard to say ‘Bonjour’ to a TV technician fitting a microphone who then does not respond.

“It’s a question of education,” said the president. “When you’re invited, you have the right for people to say hello to you.”

He added: “Otherwise, we’re not at a public broadcaster we’re at a street rally…unbelievable and serious.”

The president then added, possibly in reference to forthcoming media reforms: “This is going to change.”

Broadcaster France 3 has begun an investigation as to how the clip, which has been watched more than 500,000 times on the Dailymotion website, leaked.

In the interview Sarkozy said that the EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson
would sacrifice farm production on the "altar of global liberalism” in world trade talks.

"Mr Lamy and Mr Mandelson want to make us accept a deal under which Europe would commit to cutting farm output by 20% and reduce farm exports by 10%," said the president.

"That would be 100,000 jobs lost, I won't let it happen."

A spokesman for Mandelson called the attack "wrong and unjustified."

Mandelson himself, in Paris along with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and other EU commissioners to mark the start of France's presidency, said that "at a time like this when the EU is entering a tough negotiation, we need unity, not division."

He also challenged Sarkozy's assessment of possible agricultural job losses, arguing that the president's figures were based on what would have happened if the EU had fully accepted demands from a group of 20 emerging market and developing countries.

The negative effects on EU agriculture production would amount to an estimated decrease on average of 1.1%, while employment in agriculture would come down by 2.5%by the end of the Doha implementation period in 2014, he added.

Sarkozy later hit back again, saying that the British commissioner would enjoying the controversy.

"This is someone I have known for a long time and (he) must certainly be delighted with (the) publicity, which I don't hesitate to give him when I don't agree with him," Sarkozy said.
Photo: Sarkozy by guillaume paumier/flickr

Mandelson world economic forum/flickr