PARIS (Reuters) - Margaret Thatcher was a formidable politician who made Britain shine around the world but in person had a tendency to crush people whom she considered weak, former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing said on Monday.
A contemporary of Thatcher's on the world stage, Giscard d'Estaing said he had "fond" memories of Thatcher as an "untameable" character whom he admired for the frankness with which she defended Britain. She died on Monday aged 87.
"She had an unshakeable will, an untameable character," Giscard d'Estaing told French media.
But, he added: "She did not have a lot of consideration for people she was speaking to because she thought they were weaker than she, which was not necessarily true."
Giscard d'Estaing's remote manner, elite education and at times illiberal views on economic policy were opposed to Thatcher's relatively modest background, defence of free trade and deregulation within the European Union.
The two met sporadically at European Council meetings between 1979 and 1981 and clashed over the European Union's future, with Thatcher in favour of expansion and deregulation and d'Estaing pressing deeper integration.
However, France's conservative ex-president, along with former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, voted in favour of Thatcher's demand that Britain be granted a discount toward its contributions to the EU's budget, which still exists.
"She had a very clear mind. That is to say that she did not muddy up questions and problems. However, she had nearly unshakeable positions, which often rendered debate difficult," Giscard said.
Unlike Thatcher and former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, another ideological conservative with whom she shared warm personal ties, Giscard d'Estaing was not personally close to the so-called "Iron Lady".
But the former president, in power between 1974 and 1981, said he had admired his British counterpart for her impeccable style of dress and total self-control.
"In two years, we never saw a single hair moved by the wind," he said.
"She gave Britain's presence in the world a formidable reach," he said. "I was witness to the fact that in the European Union, she was by far the most popular politician."
Asked about the criticism levied at her in Britain, where many people still resent her policies and have celebrated her death, Giscard said the critiques were untimely.
"She had strong convictions," he said. "She served them, and now I think everyone must bow respectfully and affectionately before her memory."
(This story was refiled to add Giscard on second reference)
(Reporting By Nicholas Vinocur; Editing by Michael Roddy)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/frances-destaing-hails-untameable-thatcher-174008971--business.html
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