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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.] SPAIN/IRAK
France strongly condemns this morning’s cowardly assassination of a member of the Spanish Embassy serving in Baghdad.
Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who heard the news shortly after meeting with his Spanish counterpart, Ana Palacio, immediately sent her a message expressing his deep sympathy in this cruel circumstance.
He asked her to convey the French authorities’ sincere condolences to the victim’s family.
France moreover reiterates its condemnation of all acts of terrorism which are claiming many victims among Iraqi civilians.
The minister met this morning with Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio for a working breakfast. The ministers discussed the intergovernmental conference, the preparation of the upcoming summit between France and Spain and the main international issues.
European Affairs Minister Delegate Noëlle Lenoir received the European commissioner for taxation and the internal market, Frits Bolkestein, on October 9.
Ms Lenoir reaffirmed that the French authorities are committed to reducing the delays that have built up in France in the transposition of community directives, and recalled that considerable progress has already been made, especially in transpositions requiring regulatory measures.
Ms Lenoir and Mr. Bolkestein also discussed the dossiers on which France and the Commission are hoping for rapid agreement in the competitive council: the take-over bids directive, the community patent and the patentability of computer-implemented inventions.
European Affairs Minister Delegate Noëlle Lenoir will take part in the colloquium in Vienna on October 10 and 11 organized by the task force on “the spiritual and cultural dimensions of the enlarged European Union” which Commission President Romano Prodi was instrumental in setting up.
The colloquium will focus on “enlargement and the conditions for European solidarity.” Among those attending will be Simone Weil, Polish European Affairs Minister Danuta Hubner, and Krzysztof Michalski, Director of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.
In the context of the colloquium, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel will be hosting a working dinner on October 10 at which Ms Lenoir will speak.
Foreign Secretary Renaud Muselier met with Petko Draganov on October 8, 2003, on the sidelines of the UNESCO general conference. Their meeting, coming two weeks after the Bulgarian European affairs minister visited Paris, was an opportunity for the two to hold detailed exchanges on current international affairs, especially the situation in Iraq and the Middle East. They also discussed Bulgaria’s candidacy for the European Union and the start of the work at the IGC.
France is pleased that a peace agreement was signed in Pretoria on October 8 between the Burundian President Ndayizeye and Pierre Nukurunziza, leader of the rebel movement, Forces for the Defense of Democracy.
The agreement, which deals with power-sharing at both political and military levels and which was coupled with a joint declaration announcing an immediate halt to hostilities, is an important stage in the peace process.
France pays special tribute to the efforts of South Africa and President Thabo Mbeki, which continues the efforts made earlier by Presidents Museveni and Mkapa, and illustrates the advantage of African mediation.
France urges the National Forces of Liberation, the last rebel movement not to have joined the Burundian peace process, to do so.
Q - Germany is talking about a possible postponement of the donors’ conference, scheduled for October 23-24 in Madrid. Does France consider it useful to hold such a conference without a UN resolution on the country’s future?
France is not aware of any postponement of the Madrid conference. It expects to take part in an open and constructive manner.
Q - Do Paris and Madrid agree in their assessment of the Syrian draft resolution in the Security Council?
As you know, the discussions are continuing in the Security Council. We are in contact with all our partners in this matter.
Q - What’s your reaction to the US decision seeking sanctions against Syria?
You’re talking about a proposal in the US Congress. It’s not our place to comment.
(...)
Q - There’s talk about a possible compromise on the two contested points in the IGC, qualified majority and the composition of the Commission. Has France made proposals and if so what are they?
The IGC has only just started. You know France’s position on both questions. I’ve nothing further to add.
Q - Does France have a response to Pakistan’s missile tests?
We heard about these tests. We note that the neighboring countries were informed in advance. You are well aware that France pays careful attention to the stability of Southeast Asia../.
Embassy of France, October 10, 2003
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