French president loses cool, scolds photographers

    BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy blew his cool Sunday afternoon while vacationing in Concord, New Hampshire, jumping on the boat of two American news photographers and yelling at them loudly in French.

    Sarkozy and companions were headed for open water in a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee when he saw Associated Press photographer Jim Cole and freelancer Vince DeWitt aboard Cole's boat, which was outside a buoy barrier monitored by the New Hampshire Marine Patrol.

    Before Sarkozy spotted him, Cole had approached the patrol boat, identified himself and received permission to be there.

    "He was happy and smiling and he waved at the security people as he was coming out," Cole said of the president. "And then he noticed us taking pictures and his happy demeanor diminished immediately."

    The men said they watched through their lenses as Sarkozy pointed toward them and his boat began moving in their direction. Coming alongside Cole's boat, Sarkozy, clad only in swim trunks, jumped aboard and began shouting at them in French.

    Both men said they repeatedly stated they did not speak French. Cole said he asked whether any of the other passengers on Sarkozy's boat spoke English, but that no one answered or intervened.

    Hours earlier, Sarkozy had spoken to reporters and said in French, "I am naturally ready to answer all your questions, and maybe afterward you will resume covering the news and other topics, and leave me tranquilly with my family." An AP reporter taped Sarkozy's remarks and had them translated, but the photographers did not hear the translation until after the altercation.

    After Cole and DeWitt promised to stop shooting photos for the day, Sarkozy calmed down, reboarded his boat and continued out onto the lake with his party, followed by a boat carrying U.S. Secret Service agents.

    (Agencies)