Views on the U.S.

Nicolas Sarkozy on the United States and U.S.-France relations:

· "In the United States it is possible for those who work hard and deserve it to try to get a second chance. In France and in most European countries, you usually need the right diplomas to succeed in life. . . . France won't have proven that it's open to diversity until it has a Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice as minister for foreign affairs, a John Abizaid as one of its top generals."

· " 'Sarko the American' is a comment you hear in France that's meant to suggest that I want to transform the French social model into the Anglo-Saxon model. . . . If I was in love with the American model I'd go and live there. This is not the case. I admire the social mobility of American society. You can start with nothing and become a spectacular success. You can fail and get a second chance."

· "Affirmative action in America is an experience that could be an inspiration for us. . . . It doesn't mean we want either American-style ethnic communities or urban segregation. . . . It's convincing people that there are more risks in huddling behind our beautiful principles than in trying to speed up the integration process for those whose skin is a different color from that of the majority."

-- From the book "Testimony: France in the Twenty-First Century"

· "The truth is that the French listen to Madonna, just as they used to love listening to Elvis and Sinatra; like me, they go to the movies to see 'Miami Vice' and enjoy watching 'The Maltese Falcon' or 'Schindler's List' for a second or third time; they read James Ellroy and, like me, re-read Hemingway; they wear American jeans and love American burgers and pizza. And nothing makes them prouder than seeing a French actor in an American film or a French musician playing with the greatest Americans. And all French parents dream of sending their child to an American university. You have to understand that the virulence of the press and a portion of the French elites against the United States reflects a certain envy of your brilliant success."

· "It is unthinkable for Europe to forge its identity in opposition to the United States, or anyone else. Whether or not you believe in the concept of civilization, it is obvious that the bonds between Europe and the United States are unique and irreplaceable."

· "I say to you that the French will continue to be your friends, demanding friends, friends who stand on their feet. If we lie down, we're not really friends. You can count on me to keep telling you the truth as we see it, but as a friend."

-- From a speech in Washington to the French-American Foundation, Sept. 12, 2006