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| India-Pakistan |
| Sarkozy's girlfriend likely to visit Taj Mahal alone |
| 2008-01-20 |
| Former supermodel Carla Bruni may follow in Princess Diana's footsteps by visiting Taj Mahal alone, when her boyfriend French President Nicolas Sarkozy goes on a two-day visit to India next week. Though Sarkozy has shortened his official part of the visit to accompany Bruni to Taj Mahal, protocol problems might compel her to visit the great marble mausoleum near Agra alone and not with him, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday. "In two thirds of the countries of the world it is impossible for Carla to officially sleep in the same bedroom as the President. The problem is the President doesn't know how to stay on his own at night in his room," one of Sarkozy's aides was quoted as saying. In fact, there have been mixed signals from the Indian government over Bruni's possible presence and it has asked for a clue from France on her status before deciding where to put her in official banquets. There remains the crucial question of where Bruni will sit to watch the Republic Day parade on January 26 where her new found love is the guest of honour. Sarkozy's diplomatic aides have tried to persuade him to prolong the official part of his visit in which he would conduct sensitive talks on nuclear and defence deals with the Indian government, but he has ruled out their suggestion, according to the daily. The 52-year-old President, who divorced his wife of 11 years, Ccilia, in October and met Bruni the following month, has seen his popularity ratings declined in the polls since Christmas because of his affair. |
| Posted by:john frum |