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Putin and Sarkozy Don't Mince Words

Peter Cassata | November 18, 2008

The Times published an interesting exchange between Sarkozy and Putin from the August ceasefire talks on Georgia, leaked courtesy of Sarkozy's chief diplomatic advisor Jean-David Levitte:

[After Putin said he wanted to hang Georgian president Saakashvili], Mr. Sarkozy thought he had misheard.  "Hang him?" — he asked.  "Why not?" Mr. Putin replied.  "The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein."

Mr. Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: "Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?"  Mr. Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: "Ah — you have scored a point there."

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