Club Med Spin Opportunity

As brilliantly exhibited during the recent Betancourt liberation, the Sarkozy spin machine, while seemingly unable to boost him in the polls, is still a formidable force for showmanship. A columnist at the Guardian writes today that another such opportunity may be in the offing:

Those who believe Nicolas Sarkozy is a bit of a show-off may have their suspicions confirmed this weekend when the French president welcomes about 40 heads of government, including all the EU's leaders, to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris for the extravagant launch of his pet project, the Union for the Mediterranean. (...)

Speculation is rife that the indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria mediated by Turkey could now be followed by a face-to-face meeting in Paris of the two countries' leaders. That would be a symbolic first. Needless to say, it would also be presented by the Elysée as a masterful diplomatic coup by France's showman president.

In all fairness, simply gathering these Arab leaders together in the same place with Israel is a rather remarkable achievement, though a Kodak moment could send the media (and Likud) into a frenzy.