France Blames US

[Capt. Pork]

for blackmailing developing countries

Taken from MSNBC:

BANGKOK - France accused the United States on Tuesday of pressuring developing countries to give up their right to make cheap generic HIV drugs in return for free-trade agreements — with President Jacques Chirac calling the tactic “tantamount to blackmail.”

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A U.S. official dismissed the French allegation as “nonsense,” while delegates to the International AIDS Conference lamented figures showing only about 7 percent of the 6 million people in poor countries who need antiretroviral treatment are getting it.

Sometimes I get the feeling that people are sore at us. Am I crazy?

[Rafe35]

Seem that France President Jacques Chirac always blame USA for something

[Habu]

Why doesn't France spend billions of dollars to find a cure for the disease then give it away for free instead.

I think that is a good plan.

[MrLars]

Forcing countrys to use US produced brand name drugs in order to get the funds from the US when cheaper alternitaves are available and the fact that that money could help many more people is why they are upset...it's corporate nepitisim IMO.

[AKWeav]

Forcing countrys to use US produced brand name drugs in order to get the funds from the US when cheaper alternitaves are available and the fact that that money could help many more people is why they are upset...it's corporate nepitisim IMO.

And the mean ol' USA is the only one guilty of such, right?

[Capt. Pork]

Originally posted by AKWeav
Forcing countrys to use US produced brand name drugs in order to get the funds from the US when cheaper alternitaves are available and the fact that that money could help many more people is why they are upset...it's corporate nepitisim IMO.

And the mean ol' USA is the only one guilty of such, right?

We just can't do anything right, it seems.

[Martlet]

Originally posted by MrLars
Forcing countrys to use US produced brand name drugs in order to get the funds from the US when cheaper alternitaves are available and the fact that that money could help many more people is why they are upset...it's corporate nepitisim IMO.

Bahstiges!  We should just give the funds for nothing!

[demaw1]

Hello....Hello....Is this the same France that was stealing billions of dollars along with Germany and the Right Revered and most worshiped U.N. from the Iraqi children and blameing Amerika for the starving of said children....Dont you guys ever retain anything you read?

[SFRT - Frenchy]

My father is runing a Bristol Meyers company in france, he is fairly familliar with those issues:)

[Badger]

Amazing...

.... and that criticism coming from a country that's a heartbeat away from ecomonomc disaster most of the time. :

The example below is just the tip of the iceberg....

Regards,
Badger

May 18, 2004

French 35-hour week 'a disaster' [/url]
By Philip Delves Broughton in Paris

The French government yesterday described the 35-hour working week as a financial disaster that was costing the state billions of pounds and promised to reform the system despite fierce union opposition.

In an interview in yesterday's Le Figaro, the finance minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, said that the 35-hour week had lumbered the state with £10 billion a year in additional social charges and that it had demoralised millions of workers.
   
Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential ambition may drive reform

"The Socialists made a decision which is not compatible with our responsibilities to Europe," he said. He suggested a system whereby those who wanted to stay on the 35-hour week could do so, but those who wanted to work and earn more had greater latitude.

"At a state level, we must make productivity gains, but I also want to reward those who work harder…to increase their buying power. This question of buying power is not a taboo."

M Sarkozy was appointed finance minister last month, following the heavy defeat inflicted on President Chirac's ruling Union pour un Mouvement Populaire in regional elections.

He hopes to use the post as a springboard into a campaign for the presidency in 2007, whether or not M Chirac decides not to run again. M Chirac and his prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, have backed off any controversial reforms for fear of agitating the unions, but M Sarkozy's ambition is likely to force the pace.

The 35-hour week came into effect in 1997, as the Socialists' big idea for reducing unemployment. Unemployment fell until 2000, while the economy boomed, but has since risen again, to just under 10 per cent.

Employers despised the plan from the start, as they were forced to keep salaries at the same level while getting less work from their employees.

Government aid and repeated promises of flexibility have scarcely helped and the employers' union has not let up in lobbying for the system's repeal.

Employees, however, enjoyed the extra time off allowed by their shorter working week. Working mothers were especially pleased, as it allowed them to see their children on the Wednesday school half-day, gym memberships soared, as did interest in home improvement, gardening and other hobbies.

But with France's economy sputtering, smaller businesses in particular have clamoured for help. A system that once seemed a leap forward in working conditions is now attacked as yet another regulatory burden on those wanting to pull themselves up the economic ladder.

Last August's heat wave also showed the flaws in the system. While almost 15,000 more people than usual died in the first half of the month, hospitals complained that the 35-hour week had left them with severe staff shortages.

In addition to easing France's restrictive labour laws, M Sarkozy is also pursuing an economic nationalism, pressing for changes to European Union rules so that governments can support big companies at times of distress and help to give them a competitive advantage against global rivals.

[mosgood]

I really don't care enough about what the French think to even get upset about this.


nothing to see here..... move along.... move along......

[straffo]

Originally posted by demaw1
Hello....Hello....Is this the same France that was stealing billions of dollars along with Germany and the Right Revered and most worshiped U.N. from the Iraqi children and blameing Amerika for the starving of said children....Dont you guys ever retain anything you read?

Have you the start of the beginning of something to back your affirmation ?
That's the second time in 2 day I see you speak out of your [beeeepppp].

For example I can say you're a [beeeeeeppp] and I can back it with this with this original quote :

Originally posted by demaw1
Hello....Hello....Is this the same France that was stealing billions of dollars along with Germany and the Right Revered and most worshiped U.N. from the Iraqi children and blameing Amerika for the starving of said children....Dont you guys ever retain anything you read?

As you can see nothing difficult.

[storch]

Ah me, Oh my! those pesky frenchpersons  good troll Capt. Pork should yield a good haul.

[Capt. Pork]

Originally posted by storch
Ah me, Oh my! those pesky frenchpersons  good troll Capt. Pork should yield a good haul.

They haven't been biting on the french bait lately. Oh well.

[demaw1]

straffo re proof;

   It has been covered here[america] but not to the degree many of us would like it to.And I suspect if it wasnt for Fox news and other outlets it may not have been.Here it was covered by abc,cbs,nbc for only 2 days then poof ,fortunately fox and others have covered it. Seems now more top u.n. officals are involved.I am not surprised it wasnt covered where u live,if it was u would know about it.If you want proof find it, its there even the great n.y. times covered it 1 day...As for me I have learned when a really snotty response is made to normal debate, whoever made that response was bitten by the truth of the statement.