Editing Foreign relations of France (section)

===Nicolas Sarkozy===
{{Main|Presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy#Foreign policy decisions}}

Shortly after taking office, President Sarkozy began negotiations with Colombian president [[Álvaro Uribe]] and the left-wing guerrilla [[FARC]], regarding the release of hostages held by the rebel group, especially Franco-Colombian politician [[Íngrid Betancourt]]. According to some sources, Sarkozy himself asked for Uribe to release FARC's "chancellor" [[Rodrigo Granda]].
<ref>[http://www.lacronica.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Internacional/08062007/244942.aspx Llama G8 a FARC contribuir a liberación de rehenes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225022851/http://www.lacronica.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Internacional/08062007/244942.aspx|date=25 December 2008}}, ''La Cronica'', 8 June 2007 {{in lang|es}}</ref> Furthermore, he announced on 24 July 2007, that French and European representatives had obtained the extradition of the [[HIV trial in Libya|Bulgarian nurses detained in Libya]] to their country. In exchange, he signed with [[Gaddafi]] security, health care and immigration pacts – and a $230&nbsp;million (168&nbsp;million euros) [[MILAN]] antitank missile sale.<ref name=WP_Moore>Molly Moore, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/03/AR2007080301950.html France's Sarkozy Off to a Running Start], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', 4 August 2007</ref> The contract was the first made by Libya since 2004, and was negotiated with [[MBDA]], a subsidiary of [[EADS]]. Another 128 million euros contract would have been signed, according to Tripoli, with [[EADS]] for a [[Terrestrial Trunked Radio|TETRA radio system]]. The [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] (PS) and the [[Communist Party (France)|Communist Party]] (PCF) criticized a "state affair" and a "barter" with a "[[Rogue state]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3210,36-941475,0.html |title=Tripoli annonce un contrat d'armement avec la France, l'Elysée dans l'embarras |work=Le Monde |date=30 March 2011 |access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> The leader of the PS, [[François Hollande]], requested the opening of a parliamentary investigation.<ref name=WP_Moore/>

On 8 June 2007, during the [[33rd G8 summit]] in [[Heiligendamm]], Sarkozy set a goal of reducing French CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by 50% by 2050 in order to prevent [[global warming]]. He then pushed forward the important Socialist figure of [[Dominique Strauss-Kahn]] as European nominee to the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/20070710.WWW000000271_fmi_strauss_kahn_candidat_officiel_de_lunion_europeenne.html |title=FMI : Strauss-Kahn candidat officiel de l'Union européenne |work=Le Figaro |date=20 April 2011 |access-date=10 June 2011 |archive-date=13 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813023639/http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/20070710.WWW000000271_fmi_strauss_kahn_candidat_officiel_de_lunion_europeenne.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Critics alleged that Sarkozy proposed to nominate Strauss-Kahn as managing director of the IMF to deprive the Socialist Party of one of its more popular figures.<ref>[[Reuters]], "France's Sarkozy wants Strauss-Kahn as IMF head" Sat 7 Jul 2007 2:38&nbsp;pm EDT [https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSPAB00331220070707 read here]</ref>

Sarkozy normalised what had been strained relations with NATO.  In 2009, France again was a fully integrated NATO member. François Hollande has continued the same policy.<ref>Frédéric Bozo, "Explaining France's NATO 'normalisation' under Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012)." ''Journal of Transatlantic Studies'' (2014) 12#4 pp: 379–391. [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14794012.2014.962737#.VPQ7MPnF-uQ Abstract]</ref>