Sarkozy complained to Obama about liar Netanyahu

Youre fed up with him,but I have to deal with him even more often than you, Obama replied,according to the French interpreter.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a liar in a private conversation with US President Barack Obama that was accidentally broadcast to journalists during last weeks G20 summit in Cannes.

I cannot bear Netanyahu,hes a liar, Sarkozy told Obama,unaware that the microphones in their meeting room had been switched on,enabling reporters in a separate location to listen in to a simultaneous translation. Youre fed up with him,but I have to deal with him even more often than you, Obama replied,according to the French interpreter.

The technical gaffe is likely to cause great embarrassment to all three leaders as they look to work together to intensify international pressure on Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

The conversation was not initially reported by the small group of journalists who overheard it because it was considered private and off-the-record. But the comments have since emerged on French websites and can be confirmed by Reuters.

White House press secretary Jay Carney declined to comment on the conversation when asked by reporters traveling with Obama to an event in Philadelphia.

Obamas apparent failure to defend Netanyahu is likely to be leapt on by his Republican foes,who are looking to unseat him in next years presidential election and have portrayed him as hostile to Israel,Washingtons closest ally in the region. Pushing Netanyahu risks alienating Israels strong base of support among the US public and in Congress. Netanyahus office declined immediate comment.

Obama and Netanyahu have had a rocky relationship as US efforts to broker a Middle East peace deal have foundered,with the US president openly criticising Jewish settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territories. It was unclear why exactly Sarkozy had criticised Netanyahu. However,European diplomats have largely blamed Israel for the breakdown in peace talks and have expressed anger over Netanyahus approval of large-scale settlement building.

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During their bilateral meeting on November 3,on the sidelines of the Cannes summit,Obama criticised Sarkozys surprise decision to vote in favour of a Palestinian request for membership of the UN cultural heritage agency UNESCO. I didnt appreciate your way of presenting things over the Palestinian membership of UNESCO. It weakened us. You should have consulted us,but that is now behind us, Obama was quoted as saying.