France’s leader made a suggestion yesterday that is likely to refuel the fading embers of American ire at the French (remember Freedom Fries?).

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin proposed taxing imports from countries that refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol, which is aimed at curbing global warming. According to a Reuters article:

Some 189 countries are debating a united response to the threat of climate change at a 2-week conference in Nairobi, but Villepin said the talks were struggling and urged Europe to look at ways of pressurising states into backing Kyoto.

"Europe has to use all its weight to stand up to this sort of environmental dumping," the prime minister told a meeting on sustainable development, according to the text of his speech published on his official website.

"I would like us to study now with our European partners the principle of a carbon tax on the import of industrial products from countries which refuse to commit themselves to the Kyoto protocol after 2012," he said.

Hmm…doesn’t sound like the best way to make friends. Looks like strained relations between the U.S. and France might be as unavoidable as death and taxes.

Posted by Alisa Opar on Nov 14, 2006 at 5:10 PM
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