Nicolas Sarkozy defends Libyan arms deal
Nicolas Sarkozy broke off from his American holiday yesterday in an attempt to end the controversy surrounding a French arms deal with Libya.
Speaking in Wolfeboro, a resort near Boston, Mr Sarkozy, 52, insisted there was no connection between France's role in securing the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor from Libya and the African country's subsequent decision to buy anti-tank missiles and radio systems worth £200 million from a largely French owned company.
France's Socialist opposition last week demanded an inquiry after Saif al-Islam, son of the Libyan leader Colonel Gadaffi, suggested that there was a link between the two deals.
But Mr Sarkozy insisted: "The contract was not linked to the release of the nurses. What do they criticise me for? Getting contracts? Creating jobs for French workers?"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1559678/Nicolas-Sarkozy-defends-Libyan-arms-deal.html
