В.Путин.Церемония открытия памятника.09.05.05

Unveiling of a Monument to General Charles de Gaulle May 9, 2005 De Gaulle Square, Moscow Церемония открытия памятника генералу Шарлю де Голлю 9 мая 2005 года Москва, Площадь де Голля VLADIMIR PUTIN: Dear Mr President, Dear veterans, Ladies and gentlemen, Today, on the day marking the 60th anniversary of Victory, we are unveiling in Moscow a monument to Charles de Gaulle, a glorious son of the French people, one of the twentieth centurys outstanding statesmen and a friend of our country. De Gaulle said, Destiny gives each of us the fate we merit, and so in all his actions as an individual and a politician he was guided by firm moral principles and the values of honour, duty and patriotism. A true soldier and citizen of France, Charles de Gaulle was always faithful to the oath he had sworn. During the most difficult and dramatic time of the Nazi invasion he courageously took on immense responsibility. His historic appeal to his countrymen to continue fighting united the nation and gave people belief that victory would be theirs. And the world saw that the French did not surrender and their spirit was not broken. The French Committee of National Liberation founded by General de Gaulle became the centre for the growing resistance against the occupying forces. Frances soldiers made an important contribution to the liberation of Europe and by right shared the triumph of victory with the allies in the anti-Nazi coalition. We will never forget the unity forged between our peoples as they fought Nazism side by side. We will never forget their fraternity of arms, the chronicle of which counts many outstanding episodes, including the glorious road of the Normandy-Neman squadron. We will also never forget the deeds of thousands of our countrymen who fought bravely against Nazism in the ranks of the French Resistance. Ladies and gentlemen, For Russians, the name Charles de Gaulle embodies a free and strong France, a country that, during the post-war years, thanks to the authority, ideas and energy of this man, achieved impressive successes, joined the ranks of the worlds leading powers and was recognised as one of the greatest driving forces behind European integration. Several decades ago now, de Gaulle spoke with great foresight of creating a Europe stretching from the Atlantic to the Urals and of the fact that the need for a Franco-Russian alliance becomes apparent with every turn history takes. Over and over again life proves de Gaulle right. Now, in this new century, his political legacy will serve our peoples who are bound by common ideals and values and united by a common desire to develop mutually beneficial cooperation and a long-term partnership in the name of a prosperous Europe and a safe and stable world. Happy holiday, dear friends! Happy Victory Day! JACQUES СHIRAC: Dear Mr President, dear friend! Mr Mayor, Mr Ambassador, Ladies and Gentlemen, Sixty years ago, the capitulation of Nazi Germany brought to an end one of the greatest tragedies history has known. Never before had the world known such a ruthless and deadly war. This morning, at the invitation of the President of the Russian Federation, we were all filled with the same emotion and remained faithful to the history and the memory of our peoples as we celebrated this peace that came at such a high cost. Today we all remember the immense sacrifices made in the name of freeing our peoples from the yoke of Nazi barbarism. And here in Moscow we remember, of course, the decisive contribution your country made to the final victory. The Nazis suffered their first defeats near Moscow, at Kursk and Stalingrad, and your people, showing unprecedented courage, sent a tremendous signal to the world not to give up and not to lose hope.