BRUSSELS, Dec 17 (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Friday he had confidence in the measures being taken by the Irish government and that Moody's decision to slash its credit rating by five notches was 'surprising.'
'I don't understand what they (Moody's) have done. It's their right to do it. We have confidence in the actions of the Irish government and we will support the Irish government,' Sarkozy told a news conference after an EU summit in Brussels.
'This decision (by Moody's), I would qualify it, quite simply, as surprising.'
(Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; Writing by Daniel Flynn) (daniel.flynn@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 5071; Reuters messaging: daniel.flynn.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'I don't understand what they (Moody's) have done. It's their right to do it. We have confidence in the actions of the Irish government and we will support the Irish government,' Sarkozy told a news conference after an EU summit in Brussels.
'This decision (by Moody's), I would qualify it, quite simply, as surprising.'
(Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; Writing by Daniel Flynn) (daniel.flynn@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 49 49 5071; Reuters messaging: daniel.flynn.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.