Grim-faced First Lady Laura Bush looks as if she’d rather be anywhere else in the world yesterday as French President Jacques Chirac takes a stab at chivalry by planting a kiss on her hand.
Chirac, who severely strained relations with the United States when he led the charge against the Iraq war, made his move on the steps of the Elysée Palace in Paris as Mrs. Bush arrived for a 40-minute social call.
Intent on playing the charming host, the French leader repeated the hand-smooching performance when the first lady departed.
Later, when reporters teased her about the kisses, the first lady said diplomatically, “I think that was just French hospitality.”
Protocol officials said it was standard behavior.
“He always kissed my hand,” said Molly Raiser, chief of protocol during President Bill Clinton’s first term. “I think it’s a very European way of greeting.”
Mrs. Bush was in Paris to inaugurate the return of United States to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as part of a five-day European trip aimed at smoothing international relations.
In between his kisses, Chirac urged her to help the United States strengthen its ties with France and let “bygones be bygones” so the dispute over Iraq could be forgotten.
“I fully agreed with that. I fully expect the relationship between the United States and France will continue to be very strong,” Mrs. Bush said later.
In another fence-mending move, the U.S. flag was raised at the UNESCO building after a 19-year absence.
Mrs. Bush said the United States would seek to use its UNESCO membership in the ideological battle against terrorism.
“As the civilized world stands against terror, UNESCO’s work can make an enormous difference,” she said in a speech to the organization’s biannual general conference.
“As of Oct. 1, the United States government will once again be a full, active and enthusiastic participant in UNESCO’s important mission to promote peace and freedom.”
The United States withdrew from the UNESCO in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan. The White House at the time cited bad management, anti-Western bias and Cold War disputes.
President Bush announced plans to rejoin UNESCO last year in a bid to win U.N. backing for the liberation of Iraq – a mission that failed.
But the United States’ re-entry into UNESCO is fraught with other potential bombshells.
Bush administration policies aimed at restricting abortion and human-cell cloning could be a source of potential debate.