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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.]
FRANCE/GERMANY
Joschka Fischer and Hubert Védrine together celebrated Germany's national holiday at the German embassy.
Responding to speeches by Joschka Fischer, Hubert Védrine expressed satisfaction at the spirit of friendship in which France and Germany are working and said he hoped it would lead to important new progress for Europe.
After the speeches, the two ministers held a working meeting. They discussed the following issues:
- the international situation after the attacks in the United States, and Afghanistan;
- the Middle East: the two ministers exchanged analyses of the situation after Mr. Védrine's trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and Mr. Fischer's visit to Syria and Lebanon. More than ever, our two countries are harnessing their efforts to the same end.
The two ministers discussed preparations for the general affairs council on October 8 in Luxembourg and preparations for the next meeting of the Blaesheim process which will be in Munich on October 15 and 16.
The U.N. secretary general has announced that he intends to appoint Lakhdar Brahimi special representative for Afghanistan. We are particularly pleased at the announcement of the appointment of Mr. Brahimi whom we know and whose outstanding qualities we appreciate. We will continue to work in close coordination with the United Nations in order to join our efforts to restore a future to the Afghan people and rebuild Afghanistan.
France yesterday proposed to its partners a "plan of action" for Afghanistan which emphasizes the essential role of the United Nations on the humanitarian and political level and in the needed reconstruction of the country.
In this context we wish to support the programs of assistance to the populations of Afghanistan. The plan of action underscores the urgent need to expand the humanitarian effort to benefit the populations of Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is continuing to have close contacts with NGOs that have been working in Afghanistan and the neighboring countries for many years. A meeting was held this morning with the NGOs involved to maintain still closer consultation.
The Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Pierre Moscovici, met with the Albanian Minister for European Integration, Paskal Milo, on October 3.
The meeting afforded an opportunity to confirm France's support for Albania's wish to move closer to the European Union. That is the aim of the process of stabilization and association which was made the centerpiece of EU policy in the western Balkans at the Zagreb summit in November 2000 during the French presidency. Naturally, this prospect requires considerable efforts on the part of the countries concerned to set up effective democratic institutions and prepare themselves to absorb community achievements.
Mr. Moscovici repeated this to the Albanian minister and also made him aware of the importance we attach to seeing his country contribute to peace in the region, especially in Macedonia.
Mr. Védrine will have an opportunity to travel to the region soon.
The recent development of the situation in the FYRM is not satisfactory.
We remind all the parties of what the international community expects from them, namely the application without hindrance or delays of all the provisions in the accords signed on August 13 in Ohrid, and we warn them: The accords must be respected.
France, like its partners, attaches particular importance to the final adoption of constitutional reform by the Macedonian Parliament and also expects the amnesty stipulated in the accords to be applied.
Furthermore, France naturally supports the return of Macedonian security forces throughout the territory of the FYRM but according to a timetable and appropriate methods; however, for the return to be successful, it must be carried out gradually, in the spirit of the Ohrid accords.
That is the purpose of the mission to Skopje by Javier Solana and Chris Patten who have our support. We were in contact with Mr. Solana again this morning.
The expulsion of the Italian ambassador in Asmara is unacceptable. France deeply regrets that the Eritrean authorities thus refused to revoke it, in spite of urgent requests from the European Union.
The measure is particularly inadmissible because it followed on the EU's expression of concern after the arrest of several prominent activists for democratic reforms and the suspension of all publications of the independent press. France calls on the Eritrean authorities to comply with the commitments they agreed to regarding political openness and respect for fundamental freedoms and rights, which are indispensable to the country's development, and to work to further partnership relations with the EU. Failing this, France and its partners will be forced to reexamine them in the light of the Cotonou accord.
The Turkish Parliament's adoption on October 3 of 34 amendments adapting the Constitution on lines inspired by the European Human Rights Convention is an encouraging sign of the determination among the governing-coalition partners to move forward. Among other things, Parliament voted yesterday for a partial abolition of the death penalty and authorized greater use of languages other than Turkish in public life. This provision goes in the direction of greater freedom of thought and expression.
This development, a positive one, is a step towards closer ties between Turkey and the European Union. We encourage it to persevere on this path and to proceed with the actual implementation of these measures.
After the general parliamentary elections in Bangladesh on October 1, 2001, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Khaleda Zia obtained an absolute majority in the legislative assembly, winning 185 seats in the 282 results announced out of the 300 to be filled.
France welcomes the high voter turn-out (60%). Although the campaign was marred by violence, it notes with satisfaction that these elections have generally been judged free and fair by the international observers, in particular the European Union, that were on the spot to follow the election.
Paul Begin, Quebec Minister of Justice, will be coming to France for a working visit from October 8 to 12.
His program includes meetings at the Chancellery focusing on judicial activities (department of judicial services, information and communications, division of civil affairs and justice).
Mr. Begin will have talks with officials at the two main judicial research institutes.
Finally, he is to make a trip outside Paris (to the judicial clerks school in Dijon and the magistrates school in Bordeaux) to address questions of training.
FOREIGN AND INTERIOR MINISTERS' MEETING WITH FRENCH MOSLEMS
Q - What specific actions have been undertaken by the French authorities to prevent people equating terrorism with Islam?
This is a matter of constant concern to the French authorities. This morning Hubert Védrine and Daniel Vaillant met with representatives of France's Moslems in order to listen to their observations and answer their concerns. At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to continue to hold regular dialogue./.
Embassy of France, October 4, 2001
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