Sarkozy gets down to business after Carla wows Britain

French President Nicolas Sarkozy got down to business on the second day of his state visit to Britain. He held talks at Downing Street before attending a summit at a football stadium. Sarkozy gets down to business after Carla wows Britain Sarkozy's first day in London Wednesday was dominated by the glamor of his new wife, model-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and a call for a new, more friendly approach to Franco-British relations. The president's discussions with Prime Minister Gordon Brown were expected to include France's offer to send more troops to Afghanistan and a call by both countries for greater transparency in the financial markets. Britain and France have both been hit by recent turmoil caused by the subprime crisis. After their meeting, the leaders were to attend an Anglo-French summit at Emirates Stadium, the home of north London English Premier League side Arsenal, who have a French manager, Arsene Wenger, and French players. The break with more traditional summit surroundings was designed to underline a fresh approach to cross-Channel relations. Energy, the environment, security and economic reform are on the agenda, with Sarkozy expected to talk about possible French assistance in building a new generation of nuclear power stations in Britain. The president's wife, whose photograph was plastered over British newspapers Thursday, was to attend a charity lunch hosted by the prime minister's wife Sarah Brown at which guests were to include Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench. The president is determined to use the visit to Britain to project a more statesmanlike image after his ratings at home took a hit following months when his personal life has taken centre stage. But his wife dominated press coverage of the visit, with most front pages featuring photographs of her in an elegant grey suit and pillbox hat which drew comparisons with the style of Jackie Onassis. The Independent underlined that France's new first lady had won in the style stakes by using a photograph of her shoes and handbag under the headline: "France 1, England 0." It was also a reference to France's footballers beating England in Paris on Wednesday by that score. The Times commented that while Sarkozy promised in his speech to parliament that he wanted a new, more dynamic partnership with Britain and hinted at reform of Europe's institutions, he still had to show he could deliver. "Almost a year of President Sarkozy has produced little of significance. Even though he has toned down the glitz on this trip, that really does not mean that he can so easily add substance to his promises," the Times' foreign editor Bronwen Maddox wrote. Sarkozy said he would make the offer of sending more troops to Afghanistan at a NATO summit in Bucharest starting Wednesday, saying the international community could not afford to lose the battle against insurgents in the war-torn country. "We cannot accept that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda return to Kabul. Defeat is not an option, even if victory will be difficult," he said. France has 1,500 soldiers in Afghanistan while Britain has some 7,800 stationed there. The president will round off his visit with a speech to bankers and business leaders at London's Guildhall in which he will defend his course of reforms for the French economy.

Sarkozy gets down to business after Carla wows Britain

Sarkozy's first day in London Wednesday was dominated by the glamor of his new wife, model-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and a call for a new, more friendly approach to Franco-British relations.

The president's discussions with Prime Minister Gordon Brown were expected to include France's offer to send more troops to Afghanistan and a call by both countries for greater transparency in the financial markets.

Britain and France have both been hit by recent turmoil caused by the subprime crisis.

After their meeting, the leaders were to attend an Anglo-French summit at Emirates Stadium, the home of north London English Premier League side Arsenal, who have a French manager, Arsene Wenger, and French players.

The break with more traditional summit surroundings was designed to underline a fresh approach to cross-Channel relations.

Energy, the environment, security and economic reform are on the agenda, with Sarkozy expected to talk about possible French assistance in building a new generation of nuclear power stations in Britain.

The president's wife, whose photograph was plastered over British newspapers Thursday, was to attend a charity lunch hosted by the prime minister's wife Sarah Brown at which guests were to include Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench.

The president is determined to use the visit to Britain to project a more statesmanlike image after his ratings at home took a hit following months when his personal life has taken centre stage.

But his wife dominated press coverage of the visit, with most front pages featuring photographs of her in an elegant grey suit and pillbox hat which drew comparisons with the style of Jackie Onassis.

The Independent underlined that France's new first lady had won in the style stakes by using a photograph of her shoes and handbag under the headline: "France 1, England 0."

It was also a reference to France's footballers beating England in Paris on Wednesday by that score.

The Times commented that while Sarkozy promised in his speech to parliament that he wanted a new, more dynamic partnership with Britain and hinted at reform of Europe's institutions, he still had to show he could deliver.

"Almost a year of President Sarkozy has produced little of significance. Even though he has toned down the glitz on this trip, that really does not mean that he can so easily add substance to his promises," the Times' foreign editor Bronwen Maddox wrote.

Sarkozy said he would make the offer of sending more troops to Afghanistan at a NATO summit in Bucharest starting Wednesday, saying the international community could not afford to lose the battle against insurgents in the war-torn country.

"We cannot accept that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda return to Kabul. Defeat is not an option, even if victory will be difficult," he said.

France has 1,500 soldiers in Afghanistan while Britain has some 7,800 stationed there.

The president will round off his visit with a speech to bankers and business leaders at London's Guildhall in which he will defend his course of reforms for the French economy.