Sarkozy Upsetia

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev was treated to four hours with Nicolas Sarkozy this weekend.

Russia’s war with Georgia began on August 7 and lasted five days. While admitting that it was ‘no six day war’ Mr Medvedev says troops still deserve to stay on a little while and relax, as the Israelis did in the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula.

The war has been painful for Moscow – Stalin was a Georgian and his father an Ossetian shoe maker.

The Russian recognition of the break-away province – described by Mr Medvedev as ‘an irreversible choice, an irrevocable decision’ – has much to do with this connection, say psychoanalysts.

For a full three and a half hours the French President tried to secure a peace agreement photo opportunity that would satisfy all sides. His efforts came to nothing.

Mr Medvedev did however agree to allow 200 observers from the European Union to monitor the conflict from mid-October onwards. 'Monitor away,' the Russian leader said.

Ireland is not expected to be part of this project, though the observation of things in foreign places by our armed forces does not compromise Irish neutrality.

‘Yeesh, you Westerners,' said an exasperated Dmitri Rogozin, Russia’s envoy to NATO. 'Give me China any day.'

350,000 litres of rainwater flooded the Russian Orthodox Church in Harold’s Cross, Dublin, last Friday. Mr Medvedev was unreceptive to M. Sarkozy’s suggestion that this could be construed as retribution for Russian aggression in Georgia. No Catholic buildings were inundated.