[A-List] US imperialism: France

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

US cheese boycott creates a stink for French

Jon Henley in Paris
Thursday February 13, 2003
The Guardian

A French internet cheesemonger who sells most of his camembert and roquefort
to Americans has become the first victim of the fast-ripening stink over
Iraq currently souring Franco-US relations.

Marc Refabert, the co-founder of fromages.com, which does more than 80% of
its business with America, said his company's sales had fallen
"substantially" in the face of Paris's steadfast refusal to back
Washington's march to war.

"I'm getting inundated with emails from people saying they're not going to
buy my products until France changes it's position," he said. "They're
showing their patriotism, I guess - you can't argue with them. What good
would it do? I'm not a politician."

One email read: "Pam and I have enjoyed ordering from you. But because of
the current position your government is taking we are not going to support
France in any way."

French customs said it was too early to say whether exports to the US in
general had been affected by the crisis.