France turns down EXPO 2004

The French government refused to host this prestigious show

An unusual message came from Paris today. The French government in the person of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin announced that France was refusing from its honorable role to host EXPO 2004. It was supposed that the show would take place in a Paris suburb.

The previous government insisted on the show; EXPO 2004 was expected to take place during May 7 – August 7, 2004. However, the press department of the incumbent French premier informed that the refusal was caused by two basic reasons: the lack of funds and the absence of interest on the part of foreign companies.

It seems that the decision of the French government was inspired by the sad experience of their German colleagues. EXPO 2000 in Hanover brought huge losses to its organizers, in spite of the fact that the show is (or was) considered to be very prestigious. It is always very difficult to obtain the right to host the expo.

It should be mentioned that the Russian government got involved in the struggle for the right to hold the expo. At least, Moscow does would not mind hosting it in 2010, and Russia has a good chance, but money is a problem, as usual. Russian officials will have to rack their brains, and who knows, maybe they will be more lucky than their French colleagues?

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov