Former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has criticised Paris's decision to honour the Dalai Lama and stressed there is no "confrontation" with China following angry protests, state media said on Wednesday.The French government has scrambled to distance itself from Paris city council's move to make the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader an honorary citizen, which coincides with days of anti-France rallies."I believe that the action by (Paris Mayor Bertrand) Delanoe is a very serious political mistake," Raffarin said, according to the text of an interview published in the China Youth Daily."Firstly, as a responsible local official, when making comments on some international issues, he must maintain consensus with the state's diplomatic strategy," Raffarin was quoted as saying."As President (Nicolas) Sarkozy is making efforts to improve French-China relations, the Paris government has run in the opposite direction of the French government. This is very bad."Raffarin was quoted as saying that there "exist no strategic differences or confrontation between France and China”. The recent tense atmosphere between the two nations is a 'clash of emotions' between the two peoples," he said.Raffarin was to meet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday and was expected to hand over a letter from Sarkozy to Chinese President Hu Jintao later this week.Thousands of protesters picketed Chinese branches of French chain store Carrefour on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, angered by claims it supports the Dalai Lama.
