Presenter sorry for suggesting Sarkozy was drunk at summit

A Belgian TV news anchor has apologised for suggesting French President Nicolas Sarkozy was drunk at the G-8 summit last week.

“It was only meant in good humour,” RTBF journalist Eric Boever said. “It was not aggressive.”

On the late news, Boever introduced a clip on Sarkozy’s press conference after meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, adding: “Apparently, it wasn’t only water he’d been drinking.”

The president is shown ill at ease, seemingly out of breath, before awkwardly offering to answer questions from journalists.

The clip became an instant hit on the YouTube website.

The RTBF public broadcaster received complaints from viewers and Boever said he called the French embassy to apologize.

There he was told that Sarkozy never drinks.

“If that is so, I sincerely offer my apologies,” said Boever.