Sarkozy told Obama Greek PM too down to take to task

Reuters
November 9, 2011

French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Barack Obama last week it was not worth attacking Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou over his sudden call for a referendum on the euro zone crisis, describing the decision as the act of a depressed man, according to journalists who overheard the comments.

Sarkozy held a private conversation with the U.S. president during a G20 summit last Thursday that was captured on a communications system by journalists who reported that the French leader had branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "liar.

In another part of the same conversation, heard by a few radio journalists, Sarkozy also vented his frustration over the unexpected Papandreou decision to call the now-abandoned referendum, telling Obama it was not worth laying in to a man who was already down.

The conversation was cited on Greek blog sites.

The White House had no immediate comment on the report, nor did the Elysee press department in Paris. The Greek prime minister's office, in response, referred to telephone consultations on Wednesday morning between Papandreou and Sarkozy on attempts to form a government.

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