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See You Again, Sarkozy?

By LIFS February 4, 2008 at 10:16 AM

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose state visit to India was overshadowed by frenzied speculation over whether his girlfriend Carla Bruni would accompany him, ultimately came alone.

Earlier, concerns about cultural mores prevented Bruni from accompanying Sarkozy on a trip to Saudi Arabia, after officials there urged the French leader to respect the country's conservative Islamic culture. Indian officials had been dropping hints in advance of the visit that it would be impossible for them to receive Bruni as a spouse of a head of state.

Bruni, who told a reporter that she had not married Sarkozy "yet," acknowledged, "I cannot take part in an official trip with the president." But she added coyly, "It (a wedding) is in our plans."

Sarkozy, 52, and Bruni, 40, met in November, soon after his October divorce from Cecilia, his second wife.

Sarkozy took a brief tour of the Taj Mahal during his India visit. "He did not ask many questions ... he just heard what we had to say. He walked around and clicked pictures, but he seemed melancholic," said Kamlesh Diwedi, the guide who showed Mr. Sarkozy around, alluding to the absence of Bruni.

That may change. In the guest's register: "See you again" in French.

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