Hollande and Putin meet for first time, clash on Syria

A short meeting to acquaint the new presidents of France and Russia was dominated by the question of Syria, with Francois Hollande demanding that the Syrian leader steps down.

But Hollande was not successful in his efforts to win support for sanctions from Vladimir Putin, who warned of provoking a civil war, as the West has done in Iraq and Libya.

Hollande’s declaration seems to definitively end France’s longtime support of the Assad family, but few had expected Putin to be pushed into ending Russia’s decades-old alliance with Syria.

Also discussed was limiting nuclear proliferation, Russian objections to NATO’s missile system in Eastern Europe and a reciprocal visit to Russia by Hollande in the near future.

Drastic differences on Syria have started relations between the two newly-installed presidents on the wrong foot, but the coming years will see Hollande and Putin working together on virtually every issue that affects the global balance of power.

(www.presstv.ir / 02.06.2012)

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