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            OPEN MICROPHONE CATCHES CHRETIEN'S CRITICISM OF CLINTON
                                       
     Chretien Dehaene July 9, 1997
     Web posted at: 9:10 p.m. EDT (0110 GMT)
     
     From Senior White House Correspondent Wolf Blitzer
     
     MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien,
     apparently unaware that he was talking into an open microphone, was
     videotaped Wednesday making some rather undiplomatic comments about
     Bill Clinton, joking that the U.S. president formed his position
     about NATO expansion because he thought it would win votes at home.
     
     Chretien's remarks were caught on videotape as he talked with
     Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene and Luxembourg's Prime
     Minister Jean-Claude Juncker before a NATO meeting in Madrid.
     
     Apparently unaware the microphone in front of him was on, Chretien
     bragged that his country does not let the United States dictate its
     policy, and suggested American politicians make decisions solely for
     reasons of expediency.
     
     "In your country, in my country, all the politicians would be in
     prison because they sell their votes," Chretien said.
     
     He also said Clinton was in favor of inviting Poland, Hungary and
     the Czech Republic to join NATO because it would woo voters.
     
     Speaking in French, the Canadian prime minister said: "It's not
     reasons of state. It's all done for short-term political reasons, to
     win elections. Take the quarrel over whether to admit the Baltic
     states. That has noting to do with world security. It's because in
     Chicago, Mayor (Richard M.) Daley controls lots of votes for the
     nomination."
     
     The three leaders laughed as they waited for the Clinton and his
     advisers to arrive for the meeting.
     
     Juncker asked, "And if we started without them?"
     
     "To prove that we know what to do without them," Dehaene added.
     
     "To prove we're independent. He (Chretien), he's used to not doing
     what they want," Juncker said.
     
     "I make it my policy," Chretien said. "But it's popular. The Cuba
     affair. I was the first to stand up" against it U.S. policy
     tightening the economic embargo on Cuba.
     
     The three leaders chuckled among themselves.  
     rule CNN Plus 
     * Jean Chretien 
     * Message Board: NATO expansion
     * Newsmaker Profiles
       
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          + Summit - Madrid, Spain, 8-9 July 1997
            
     
     
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