Bill Clinton hails France's "can-do" Sarkozy

PARIS, Oct 5 (Reuters) Bill Clinton hailed French President Nicolas Sarkozy's ''can-do'' style today and moves by Paris to work with his foundation to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

''I look forward to further partnerships with the president because I think he's a 'can-do' sort of politician and I like that,'' former US President Clinton said after talks with Sarkozy, who has embarked on a programme of ambitious reforms since winning office in May.

Clinton, whose wife Hillary is bidding to become US president in 2008, is in France on a book tour and to push his climate initiative to cut emissions by 40 major cities, including the French capital.

The French leader has taken a more pro-American foreign policy stance than his predecessor Jacques Chirac.

Asked if Franco-US relations would improve under Sarkozy, Clinton said that depended as well on the administration of US President George W Bush: ''I think that's a two-way street.

''I was grateful to (Sarkozy) for saying that he wanted us to have a partnership in the future, and also for saying that he didn't necessarily agree with all of our policies, but we didn't have to have complete agreement on policies to have a general partnership in the future,'' Clinton said.

Sarkozy has come under attack at home for his overtures to Washington, notably a trip to the United States during which he criticised the way in which France opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Sarkozy rejected suggestions he was bent on making France, which has traditionally struck an independent tone in foreign policy, into an American poodle.

Reuters JK RN1849