President Mitterrand of France has given voice to this approach.

Several officials close to President Mitterrand said he was prepared to make a trade deal.

President Mitterrand declared again last month that it wouldn't go back.

And three days later, President Mitterrand himself went on television to reverse the decision.

Perhaps he had certain of President Mitterrand's friends in mind.

President Mitterrand was supposedly told of the illegal sales in 1984, but did not halt them.

President Mitterrand told his colleagues that they were "putting an end to the previous age."

President Mitterrand presented himself as the protector of national unity.

It will by then be 14 years since President Mitterrand set the process in motion.

Those are probably the troops President Mitterrand has in mind.