TIMESONLINE: Vladimir Putin, the Russian Prime Minister, planned to topple the President of Georgia and "hang him by the balls", according to the chief adviser to President Nicolas Sarkozy of France.
Mr Putin outlined his aims to Mr Sarkozy when the French leader flew to Moscow on August 12 to broker a ceasefire after the Russian invasion of northern Georgia, Jean-David Levitte told le Nouvel Observateur news magazine. It published the account today.
President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia, who is in Paris, laughed nervously when he heard of Mr Putin's threat on French radio this morning and said that he was aware of it.
Mr Sarkozy was aware from intelligence reports that the Russian army was aiming to overthrow Mr Saakashvili and install a puppet government. He told Mr Putin that the world would not accept this, according to Mr Levitte, Mr Sarkozy's foreign policy chief, who was in the Kremlin for the talks.
"I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls," Mr Putin replied.
Mr Sarkozy responded: "Hang him?"
"Why not? The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein," said Mr Putin.
Mr Sarkozy replied, using the familiar "tu": "Yes but do you want to end up like (President) Bush?" Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then replied: "Ah, you have scored a point there." >>> Charles Bremner in Paris | November 13, 2008
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