LEGION OF HONOUR AWARD FOR PUTIN
CONDEMNED AS "UNWORTHY OF FRANCE"

September 25, 2006 (RSF) - Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage today that French President Jacques Chirac bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour - one of the highest decorations awarded by a country that considers itself the birthplace of human rights - on Russian President Vladimir Putin on 22 September.

FRANCE'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS AND AVAILABLE AWARD
"It Is With Such Baubles That Men Are Bought."*

An Elysée Palace spokesman said the award, given on the penultimate day of a visit by President Putin that ended with a French - Russian - German tripartite summit on 23 September in Compiègne, was given for his contribution to friendship between Russia and France.

"The dismantling of civil liberties in Russia, the gagging of the press and the state terror and news blackout policies being implemented in Chechnya were not mentioned in any official statement issued during this visit," Reporters Without Borders said. "The French government’s decision to award Putin the Legion of Honour is a shocking endorsement of his policies."

* Paraphrase of Napoléon Bonaparte commenting on the allure of prized schwag:

"On appelle ça des hochets, je sais, on l'a dit déjà. Et bien, j'ai répondu que c'est avec des hochets que l'on mène les hommes."

PFFT (What is this?): Sweetening Vladimir's schwag bag 2½ | Rayonnement français 0