BritainandFranceareseparatedbytheEnglishChannelabodyofwaterthatcanbecrossedinasfewas20minutes.Buttheculturesofthetwocountriessometimesseemtobemilesapart.
LastThursdayBritainandFrancecelebratedthe100thanniversary(周年纪念)ofthesigningofafriendshipagreementcalledtheEntenteCordiality.Theagreement—signedinLondononApril81904—markedanewbeginningforthecountriesfollowingcenturiesofwarsandlove-hatepartnership.
Buttheirrelationshiphasbeenupsanddownsoverthepastcentury.JustlastyeartherewerefiercedisagreementsovertheIraqwar—whichBritishPrimeMinisterTonyBlairsupporteddespite(不管尽管)FrenchPresidentJacquesChiracspeakingoutagainstit.ThisdiscomfortisexpressedinBlairandChirac'sbodylanguageatinternationalmeetings.WhiletheFrenchleaderoftengreetsGermanChancellorGerhardSchroederwithahug(拥抱)Blairjustreceivesahandshake.
HoweversomepoliticalexpertssaythewarinIraqcouldinfacthavehelpedties.“TheBritishpopulationwasagainstwar”saidFrancoisHeisbourgdirectoroftheParis-basedFoundationforStrategicResearch(战略基金研究会).“Soitcouldhaveactuallyhelpedbringthetwosidescloser.”
Thehistoryofdivisions(分割区分)maywellbebecauseoftheverydifferentwaysinwhichthetwosidesseetheworld.“TheFrenchthinkBritainisnotdoingitsbesttobecomepartofEuropebynotintroducingthesingleEuropeancurrency(货币)”saidGeoffHareaformerlecturerinFrenchpoliticsandlanguageatNewcastleUniversityinBritain.“Francehasspentthepast15to20yearsmakingitselfseenaspartoftheEuropeanUnion.”
Butthisdoesn'tstop12millionBritonstakingholidaysinFranceeachyear.Howeveronly3millionFrenchcomeintheoppositedirection.SurveysshowthatmostFrenchpeoplefeelclosertotheGermansthantheydototheBritish.AndtheresearchcarriedoutinBritainhasfoundthatonlyathirdofthepopulationbelievestheFrenchcanbetrusted.PerhapsthisbadfeelingcomesbecausetheBritishdislikeFrance'scloserelationshipwithGermany.OrbecausetheFrencharenothappywithBritain'scloselinkswiththeUS.
Whatevertheanswerisasbothsidescelebrate100yearsof“doubtfulfriendship”theyareatleastable