Romanian President Denies Any Quarrel With France’s Sarkozy

After the group photo of the leaders attending the NATO summit in Lisbon, the cameras captured a discussion that does not appear to have been the most cordial between Basescu and Sarkozy. Sarkozy however denied rumors of a quarrel or tensions with Basescu.

"After the group photo, everyone headed to where they had to go, Sarkozy had a meeting. I told him we need to discuss the Schengen. I don't know why you're making a big deal out of his gesture," Basescu said in an intervention by phone on B1 TV.

"What you saw there was «I have a meeting (...) we'll talk later», which we did," said Basescu.

According to Agence France Presse, video footage captured by TV cameras after the group photo of leaders attending the NATO summit captured an apparently tense exchange between the Romanian and French president. Asked to comment on the incident, Sarkozy denied any tension over Romania's accession to the Schengen Area, adding he and the Romanian president get along fine.

"I did not refuse to speak to him," said Sarkozy. "I have spoken perhaps fifteen times to the Romanian president, who is a great man that I value," AFP quoted the French president as saying.

Relations between Romania and France are currently marked by disputes regarding Roma expulsions from France and France's view that Romania's Schengen Area accession should be postponed.

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