Chirac Rebuffed By Blair

Click on the title for a link to an AFP article about Tony Blair's recent rebuff of comments made by Jacques Chirac concerning Britain's rebate.

Here is part of what Chirac is quoted as saying:

"The time has come for our British friends to understand that they must now make a gesture of solidarity,"

Translation: It's Britain's fault that French voters did not ratify the EU Constitution.

Here is Tony Blair's response:

"Britain has been making a gesture, because over the past 10 years, even with the British rebate, we have been making a contribution into Europe two and half times that of France. Without the rebate, it would have been 15 times as much as France. That is our gesture,"

Sounds to me like Chirac wants to ride first class while paying coach fares. Nothing new here. Just like the guy who never pitches in for pizza but eats more pieces, than those that contributed.