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U2's Bono extracts aid pledge from France's Chirac
Posted on Thursday, June 20 @ 23:31:02 CEST by Macphisto
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PARIS (Reuters) - U2 singer Bono visited French President Jacques Chirac at his Paris palace Thursday and emerged with a promise that France's contribution in aid to poor countries would increase in coming years.
The Irish rock star, a staunch advocate of more generous aid and debt forgiveness, last month went on a 12-day swing through Africa with U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, dubbed the "odd-couple tour."
"I'm here because he (Chirac) has a passion for Africa and I want to turn that passion into cash," the singer, wearing his trademark wraparound blue sunglasses, said just before going into the meeting at the imposing Elysee Palace.
Asked afterward if he had succeeded, Bono joked: "Well, he gave me 50 francs ($7) for the taxi."
But he quickly went on to say: "France has been generous but in the last years it's gone down. He promised me they (the new French government) would reverse that trend, and I'm very happy about that."
Chirac's center-right party won a landslide in parliamentary elections last Sunday, giving the recently re-elected president unfettered policy-making powers.
The French leader found Bono a convincing and eloquent advocate for poor countries and the talk fascinating, presidential spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said.
The U2 frontman said he would be checking up on his new fan at the Elysee Palace to make sure the promised aid materialized.
"My relationship with all politicians is based on the idea that if the money is not forthcoming, I'll be back," the singer said after his 90-minute talk with the French leader.
He said pestering politicians and reminding them of their words was part of his campaign and just as useful as participating in confrontational protests.
"It's much more glamorous being on the barricades with a handkerchief over your nose throwing rocks than it is for me to be standing here in a suit, though it's not my own," the style-conscious singer said. He revealed the khaki tie he was sporting for the occasion was also on loan.
"But it's good to be in the room and in the ear of President Chirac to make our case," he said.
"He (Chirac) is very, very informed and he is very serious about finding a new relationship with Africa and the developing world, particularly in light of the AIDS pandemic."
Bono said he asked Chirac to be "a champion for Africa" at a G8 summit of wealthy nations in Canada on June 26-28.
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