Queen: US, EU ties are complementary

The queen brought together politicians from both sides of the Channel yesterday at a bridge-building reception in Paris during which she stressed that being part of the European Union should not threaten links with America.

At a gathering designed to reflect the spirit of the Entente Cordiale, 50 delegates from both the Commons and the Lords joined their counterparts at the 17th century French Senate building to hear the queen reiterate her plea for Britain and France to put recent "tensions" and "differences" behind them.

"We have both made the choice of Europe and the European Union as a principal vehicle for our economic and political aspirations," she said. "For both of us this does not, nor should not, in any way weaken our strong ties of friendship with the United States. These are complementary relationships.

"More than ever we are working to make Europe's voice in the world count, and to ensure that Europe's diplomacy can be backed up by military credibility where necessary and where Nato are not engaged."

Her speech echoed one that she gave at the state banquet hosted by President Jacques Chirac in her honour on Monday. This time, however, the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, was not present, breaking with protocol to fly to London for a government summit on immigration before returning to Paris last night.

Some light relief for the queen from her role as Britain's most senior diplomat came when, at her request, she attended a riding display by the world-renowned Cadre Noir, at the Ecole Nationale d'Equestre.

With Prince Philip beside her, she clapped enthusiastically as the riders controlled their mounts through synchronised manoeuvres and jumps with a mere twitch of the reins.

The queen was determined to woo not just the politicians, but also the Parisians who crowded behind metal barriers, often in the rain, to catch a glimpse of "la Reine".

During a walkabout on the bustling Rue Montorgueil, she was presented with a hand-made, decorated Easter egg by Nicholas Storher, a master confectioner whose ancestors once made desserts for French royalty.

The queen immediately gave the gift to seven-year-old Steven Pouteau, one of several children she met at a nearby community centre.

She may have been saving her appetite for lunch with the French Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, at his sumptuous official residence, the Hotel de Matignon.

As mounted buglers from the Republican Guard heralded her arrival, it was Prince Philip who emerged first from the royal Bentley, with the queen having to shuffle along the back seat.
It appeared protocol officers had either placed them in the wrong seats, or their car had driven the wrong way into the residence. It was one of a series of small mishaps that set the queen laughing.

Another was when the pen handed to her by Paris's mayor, Bertrand Delanoe, failed to work as she signed her name in the town hall visitors' book.

AFP reporting from Toulouse said Queen Elizabeth wrapped up her three-day state visit with a trip to Toulouse yesterday.

The monarch and Prince Philip, were to return to London later yesterday in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Entente Cordiale agreement which was the main reason of her entire visit.

That document, sealed on April 8, 1904, settled a number of international disputes between Britain and France.