Discussions

Some may have been following this in the news in recent days. France President Nicolas Sarkozy recently made this statement relating to Quebec and now has separatists riled up:  
 
"Do you really believe that the world, with the [unprecedented] economic crisis that it is going through, needs division? Need hatred?" he asked. "Those who do not understand [the need for unity], I do not think they have understood the message of the Francophonie - the universal values we share in Quebec as in France: the rejection of sectarianism, the rejection of division, the refusal to retreat into oneself"  
 
A couple of quotes from the separatist side include:  
"(Sarkozy) is displaying a profound lack of understanding" of Quebec  
 
"Someone has whispered a song in his ear that is totally different from reality"  
 
Here are a couple of links that touch on both sides of this...  
 
A National Post article that is not shy about that paper being anti-separatist:  
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1250625  
 
and then an article that highlights sovereignists' reaction:  
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Sovereignists+lash+ignorant+Sarkozy/1250100/story.html  
 
What are peoples' thoughts on a foreign leader commenting on an internal matter? or does this particular internal matter warrant other influences to step up?