MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chirac caustic about Spanish legacy in the Americas

French president Jacques Chirac considers the discovery of America as “not a great moment of history”, and thus not susceptible to be celebrated, and he is inclined to attribute the discovery of the new world to Vikings and not to Christopher Columbus.

The statement is included in a book dedicated to interviews with Chirac compiled by Pierre Péan and which is scheduled to reach book stalls next Saturday although several French newspapers have advanced some extracts. Chirac argues that from an "overall vision of the world", each culture "has something basic to contribute to humanity", but points out he is not enthusiastic about the Spanish presence in America. "I have no admiration for the hordes that landed to destroy". The French president reveals in the book that on some occasions Spanish authorities have invited him to participate in the celebration of the event, although no specific dates are given, and recalls that once even King Juan Carlos rang him up "surprised by his attitude". Chirac argues that from his point of view the arrival of Columbus in America "was not a great moment of History", and furthermore the Vikings arrived five centuries before, a theory which has the growing support of a school of historians. The Vikings "didn't make such a fuss and besides had the elegance of destroying themselves", is quoted the French president. The book, "L'inconnu de L'Elysée" besides revealing aspects of his private life, including love affairs, and his forty years in politics, also discloses he was a militant for the African National Congress of Nelson Mandela. More specifically towards en end of the sixties Chirac was contacted by then Morocco's' King Hassan II who generously financed Mandela's organization. "The King helped finance ANC. He had a network of people who helped with funds, and he chose me for that", admits Chirac.