OTTAWA (AFP) - Quebec separatists on Tuesday accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of "interfering" in Canada's decades-old unity debate and showing a lack of understanding of the movement.
"I find that president Sarkozy lacked dignity and class in his remarks," said separatist Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, adding that the comments "proved [Sarkozy's] ignorance of the Quebec situation."
Duceppe was reacting to remarks made on Monday, when Sarkozy presented Quebec Premier Jean Charest with one of France's highest distinctions, Commander of the Legion of Honor.
Sarkozy largely repeated his position on independence, previously outlined at a summit of French-speaking nations in Quebec in October, which was viewed as supporting Canadian unity.
"Do you believe the world as it faces an unprecedented crisis needs more divisions?" he said.
Quebec's newspapers noted Sarkozy's disdain for "sectarianism" and "self-confinement," although he did not mention the Quebec separatists specifically.
"If our identity is strong, we don't need to be imbeciles, we don't need to be pushy," he said.
Since the 1970s, the survival of a distinct French identity in North America has been a major concern for Quebec residents and led to two referendums on Quebec sovereignty, in 1980 and 1995.
The movement is currently in hibernation as its standard-bearer, the Parti Quebecois, looks to rebuild its base after losing three elections to federalists. (From http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090204/wl_canada_afp/canadaquebecseparatistsdiplomacyfrance_20090204000635)
