KEY POINTS:
Helen Clark used a strategy of rugby diplomacy yesterday when she met French President Nicolas Sarkozy for talks on international affairs and pushed Brand New Zealand on the eve of their countries' World Cup rendezvous.
The oval ball took pride of place in the Prime Minister's trip to the French capital, which followed a visit to Passchendaele, one of the grimmest battlefields of World War I.
Helen Clark inaugurated a giant white rugby ball on the Champ de Mars by the Eiffel Tower, after a Maori blessing of the structure. The welcome and haka is a ritual that has become widely known across France thanks to the massive interest in the All Blacks.
At 25m long, 17m wide and 12m high, and emblazoned with the slogan "100 per cent Pure New Zealand," the mega-ball can accommodate up to 220 people. It will highlight Maori culture, but also deliver an audiovisual showcase of New Zealand scenery, tourism, food, wine and lifestyle.
"The point about the venue is that rugby is one of many facets of New Zealand life," Helen Clark told the Herald.
"When people come into the ball they will see a very sophisticated high-tech venue. We will be using it to promote trade, tourism, investment ... an all-rounded picture of New Zealand." France, Europe's biggest food exporter, remains only a meagre market for New Zealand farmers, but tourism is a big-ticket item and getting bigger.
Over the past eight years, the number of French visitors has soared by nearly 250 per cent, reaching more than 19,000 in the year to August 2007.
Helen Clark then headed to the Elysee presidential palace for her first meeting with Mr Sarkozy since he took office in May on a platform demanding a break with many of France's traditional policies.
The talks were to focus heavily on international affairs, particularly Myanmar and Iran and climate change , the Prime Minister said.
In recent years, under Mr Sarkozy's predecessor, Jacques Chirac, both sides have weaving closer ties, especially in security, seeing a mutual interest in strengthening troubled island states in the South Pacific.
"We want to impress on Sarkozy that New Zealand is a good friend based in the Asia-Pacific region and that we want to keep building on the relationship," said Helen Clark.
The farewell at the Elysee Palace was only an au revoir, for Mr Sarkozy and Helen Clark are scheduled to meet tomorrow morning in the VIP box at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium for the crunch match.
