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Queen Elizabeth II visits France
www.chinaview.cn 2004-04-05 03:38:04

 

 

 


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Related: British Queen Elizabeth II calls for London-Paris solidarity

     PARIS, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Paris by Eurostar train through the Channel tunnel on Monday, kicking off her three day state visit to France to mark the centenary of the Entente Cordiale (friendly understanding).

     This is her fourth state visit to France since her accession in1952. Accompanied by 200 schoolchildren on an educational exchange,she was greeted by French President Jacques Chirac on the Avenue des Champs Elysees.

    The Entente Cordiale is a document signed in London on April 8,1904, which marked the start of an unprecedented era of friendshipand military alliance between the two countries.

    Security was tightened for the Queen's procession in Paris and in the southern French city of Toulouse where she will visit the 13th-century Convent of the Jacobinson and the factory of the plane-maker Airbus on Wednesday.

    Hundreds of policemen were deployed in Paris and traffic is being temporarily suspended on the Champs Elysees where the Queen is to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe escorted by a convoy of 150 French cavalry of republican guards.

    Paris police had assured French citizens that their normal activities would be disturbed as little as possible and there would be minimum restriction on those who want to witness the event.

    The general public are being allowed to stand outside barriers on the Avenue of Champs Elysees but security checks on their bags are necessary, police said.

    The Queen will hold talks with the French president at 16:30 local time (1430 GMT) and will attend a dinner hosted by Chirac and his wife Bernadette at the Elysee Palace. Enditem

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