French Publication Claims Gaddafi Offered Sarkozy $66 Million to Finance His 2007 Campaign
April 29th, 2012Let’s start with the basics. The Frogs did it. It’s always worth repeating; this is a French war.
Via: Global Post:
In late 2006, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi offered nearly $66 million, or 50 million euros, to support the 2007 campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s current president who is now facing almost certain defeat in a May 6 runoff vote, according to the investigative journalist website Mediapart.
The revelation, purportedly in an official Libyan document, comes a month after Sarkozy publicly rejected claims that his 2007 campaign had accepted funding from Gaddafi — with whom he had publicly carried on amicable relations even before emphatically winning the presidency five years ago.
An image of the Arab-language memo cited by Mediapart can be viewed here.
According to the evening newspaper Le Monde, a Sarkozy spokeswoman today denounced the report as a diversionary tactic created by the campaign of Socialist rival François Hollande, the projected winner on May 6.
The Dec 10, 2006 document is signed by Moussa Koussa, Gaddafi’s foreign intelligence chief, and, according to a French translation, reads in part:
“Reference is made by the liaison office of the people’s general committee to the approval for supporting the electoral campaign of the candidate in the presidential elections, Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, at an amount valued at 50 million euros…”
Mr. Koussa transmits the confirmed “agreement in principle on the above-referenced subject.” But the note does not indicate whether the funds were ever transferred.
possibly related:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17889660