Sarkozy 'won't stop Turkey talks'
577997
French President Sarkozy moves to prevent friction over Turkey's EU membership bid.
580477
Turkey's Prime Minister kept the EU waiting on Friday on whether he would accept the terms of its historic offer to start accession negotiations, leaving late-night talks with the bloc's presidency without a deal.
317238
The French government today refused to bow to the demands of militants who have kidnapped two French journalists in Iraq, insisting that a law banning Muslim headscarves in school would go ahead.
42584
The French president throws his weight behind Turkish EU membership ahead of a key summit decision.
438726
French President Nicolas  Sarkozy told railway workers on Friday he would not be  blackmailed into withdrawing a reform of their pensions  privileges by strikes and street protests.
100133
France will not revoke a law banning Islamic head scarves in public schools despite demands by an Iraqi group holding two French journalists hostage, the government spokesman said Monday.
301252
The French president is persuaded not to try to dilute EU competition law through the new EU treaty, the BBC learns.
704958
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Poland on Thursday could tip the balance in persuading its eurosceptic conservative leaders not to veto talks on a new European Union treaty.
546653
State funding for mosques to counter attempts by extremists to indoctrinate young people on Muslim-dominated areas is urged today by France's most talked-about politician, the finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy.
262796
A senior adviser to French President  Nicolas Sarkozy said France remained opposed to any hostile bid  for Societe Generale , the French bank hit by a  trading scandal.
197926
The European Commission will not set special conditions for Turkey when it decides Wednesday whether to recommend opening membership talks with Ankara, Commission President Romano Prodi said Tuesday.
324919
The Turkish PM refuses to change his stance on the Cyprus problem ahead of a key EU summit.
147354
PARIS  - France will not revoke a law banning Muslim head scarves in public schools despite demands by a militant Islamic group holding two French journalists hostage in Iraq, a government spokesman said Monday.
524436
President Jacques Chirac said that France would vote in favour of starting membership talks with Turkey when the EU met in December.
451284
Jacques Chirac has ruled out any withdrawal of French troops from Ivory Coast, despite unrest and anti-French attacks, which have forced the evacuation of thousands of Westerners.
679665
Chirac who supported the opening of entry talks with Ankara during the EU summit in Brussels last week. &quot;The question to ask is whether we say &#39;yes&#39; or &#39;no&#39; or &#39;privileged partnership&#39;,&quot; he told France 2 television late on Saturday.
710985
French President Jacques Chirac said, in a discrete statement at a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, that EU leaders who oppose Turkey&#39;s future membership are behaving irresponsibly.