Apology for insulting Sarkozy

14 June 2007

BRUSSELS (AP) – A Belgian TV news anchor has apologised for suggesting French President Nicolas Sarkozy was drunk at the G-8 summit last week.

“It was only meant in good humour,” RTBF journalist Eric Boever said. “It was not aggressive.”

On the late news, Boever introduced a clip on a press conference Sarkozy gave after meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. “Apparently, it wasn’t only water he’d been drinking,” Boever said.

The president is shown ill at ease, seemingly out of breath, before awkwardly offering to answer questions from journalists. The clip became an instant hit on the YouTube Web site.

The RTBF public broadcaster received complaints from viewers and Boever said he called the French Embassy to apologise. There he was told that Sarkozy never drinks.

“If that is so, I sincerely offer my apologies,” said Boever.

Subject: Belgian news