▁was ▁" in def ens ible ". ▁ ▁International ▁response ▁ ▁France ' s ▁role ▁ ▁When ▁Jean - B éd el ▁B ok assa ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic , ▁the ▁French ▁president ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁Charles ▁de ▁Ga ulle , ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁eng age ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁leader , ▁ref using ▁to ▁receive ▁him ▁and ▁calling ▁him ▁a ▁" blo ody ▁id iot " ▁After ▁heavy ▁advis ing ▁from ▁his ▁Chief ▁of ▁staff , ▁Jacques ▁F oc cart , ▁De ▁Ga ulle ▁finally ▁met ▁B ok assa ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁three ▁years ▁after ▁he ▁came ▁into ▁power . ▁After ▁Charles ▁De ▁Ga ulle ▁died ▁and ▁Georges ▁Pom pid ou ▁ex ited ▁office ▁Val ery ▁G is card ▁took ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁G is card ▁and ▁B ok assa ▁engaged ▁correspond ence ▁and ▁with ▁G is card ' s ▁administration ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁Central ▁African ▁Empire ▁become ▁close ▁al lies . ▁When ▁B ok assa ▁declared ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁hosting ▁a ▁coron ation ▁for ▁himself ▁as ▁the ▁em peror ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Central ▁African ▁Empire , ▁many ▁of ▁nov elt ies ▁that ▁attributed ▁to ▁the ▁lux ur ious ▁event ▁came ▁from ▁France . ▁This ▁included ▁an ▁imperial ▁crown ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁golden ▁throne ▁in ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁an ▁e agle . ▁After ▁various ▁alleg ations ▁against ▁B ok assa ▁including ▁the ▁be ating ▁of ▁school ▁children ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁can n ib al ism