NICOLAS SARKOZY TAKES THE OFFICE

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.05.2007 17:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ France’s new President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken
office at a ceremony in the Elysee Palace, after waving goodbye to
President Jacques Chirac. The new center-right president succeeded
his former mentor after defeating the Socialists’ Segolene Royal in
the 6 May run-off election.

In his inaugural address, Mr Sarkozy said "now change is needed"
in France and he called for national unity.

France "needs to take risks and follow initiatives," he said.The
country also needed to "rehabilitate the values of work, effort,
merit and respect" and defeat intolerance, he said.

A 21-gun salute marked his assumption of the presidency, after a
brief private conversation with Mr Chirac.

One of Mr Chirac’s last tasks was to hand over the launch codes of
France’s nuclear arsenal.

Mr Sarkozy, 52, was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife Cecilia,
wearing an eye-catching golden dress, and other family members – their
son Louis and four children from their previous marriages, BBC reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress