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Daily Press Briefing Statements made by [Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.] GENERAL AFFAIRS/EXTERNAL RELATIONS COUNCIL/MIDDLE EAST
The general affairs/external relations council, which brought together the European Union foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday, adopted conclusions on the situation in the Middle East which incorporate the formulas proposed by France in its draft resolution in the UN Security Council on two critical points:
-the council called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities to be followed by a sustainable cease-fire;”
-it also wants “to define a political framework agreed by all parties which is a necessary pre-condition for deployment of an international force.”
As Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said, this joint message from the Europeans is an important step that backs the draft resolution on Lebanon that France put before the UN Security Council and constitutes a positive sign for a lasting solution to the crisis.
The EU foreign ministers reaffirmed their resolve to support the population affected by the current crisis by sending humanitarian aid. The EU and its member states have pledged over 50 million euros to this end. France for its part will provide humanitarian aid of 15 million euros. A decision has just been made to provide a special 0.5 million euros for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in order to provide for children in the new camps for displaced persons located around the Lebanese capital.
LEBANON/NEW REPATRIATION OPERATION
The French authorities are to carry out another repatriation operation Wednesday evening for French and foreign nationals who will leave Beirut by ship for Larnaca. About 900 people--about 30 of them are from southern Lebanon--are to be taken out on this new trip which will be the 15th by France since July 17. Individuals evacuated on board the French Navy’s Mistral will reach Cyprus tomorrow morning. They will be transferred to France on Thursday on three flights chartered by the Foreign Ministry.
By the time this new round trip is over, about 11,5000 people will have been repatriated from Lebanon.
Q - Can you confirm that France isn’t taking part in tomorrow’s meeting at the UN on the international force for Lebanon?
I can confirm that France does not plan, at this time, to participate in the meeting of troop-contributors scheduled by the UN secretariat general.
We happen to believe that conditions for deployment of a multilateral force are not present, and that this meeting is therefore premature.
Let me remind you that in our draft resolution we propose a sequence that provides first of all for a cessation of hostilities, then a political agreement prior to the deployment of an international force.
The priority today is therefore to discuss this draft resolution which would define the indispensable legal framework for deployment of an international force in Lebanon along with the mandate to be given it.
Q - Has the Israeli ambassador to Paris been summoned since the outbreak of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel?
I’m not aware of any summons to the Israeli ambassador.
Q - How are we to interpret the fact that the Foreign Ministry has not summoned the Israeli ambassador?
Since the start of the crisis, France has had many occasions to publicize its position.
There is frequent contact with the Israeli authorities both in Paris and Tel Aviv.
Q - Mr. Moratinos is going to Damascus. Do you agree with his mission? If not why?
We’ve taken note of the report. It is not up to us to make a judgment about contacts by one or another foreign minister.
Q - Can you confirm that the Foreign Ministry has asked an insurer to organize the repatriation of over a million French nationals from Lebanon? Is this a first? Was the Ministry not capable of handling the repatriation in time?
I can confirm that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a contract with an insurance company for the reception and transfer of repatriates from Lebanon. The operation, took place in the Turkish port of Mersin. Confronted with the need to undertake two onerous operations at the same time and at short notice, the transfer from Beirut to Larnaca (Cyprus) of 986 French and foreign nationals and of 1,153 persons to Mersin (Turkey) the Ministry called on an outside company to handle the reception and transfer from Mersin to France.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has used outside providers in the past in the context of other operations of this kind, particularly at the time of the tsunami in southeast Asia and the air disaster at Maracaibo./.
Embassy of France, August 2, 2006
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