Schwarzenegger, French president discuss trade and global warming

Governor Schwarzenegger’s toured European last week and stopped in France, where he discussed trade, global warming and politics with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. After a 30-minute talk, Schwarzenegger said he admired Sarkozy “tremendously” and believed the president would “put a new energy in the relationship between France and other countries, and our state.” Both pledged to work together on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Schwarzenegger called Sarkozy “fresh new blood for politics in the world, because he is a politician that believes in inclusion and not in making everyone the enemy, which we have seen so many times in politics.” The Governor said he also was studying France’s method of using public-private partnerships to build schools, highways, rail lines, energy plants and other projects. Schwarzenegger and Sarkozy also discussed the possibility of twin trade missions next year, with French officials promoting their country’s products in California and Schwarzenegger returning to France. The Governor has previously organized trade missions to China, Japan, Mexico and Canada for his business associates and Corporate supporters. An additional trade mission to India is planned for the fall.