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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.]
FRENCH PRESIDENCY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION/BUSINESSES
The Minister of Foreign and European affairs and the Secretary of State for European affairs met yesterday for a working dinner with several representatives of French companies and employer associations to brief them on preparations for the French presidency of the European Union which has entered an active phase. At this third meeting of the “Club des Enterprises pour la Présidence Française,” Mr. Kouchner and Mr. Jouyet went over the main priorities of our presidency, work program and timetable, in particular in the areas of energy and climate, immigration, security and defense. The social dimension of Europe (Erasmus, mobility for young people, apprentices especially, European labor-management committees) was also discussed in the context of the future of the Lisbon Strategy. During this highly productive dialogue, the representatives of businesses and professional organizations emphasized the level of preparation of the French EU presidency and presented their initiatives and proposals with respect to employment, training, growth, the environment and energy. The priority for energy and environmental issues has been widely supported. Business leaders have announced a series of events around these priorities to support the presidency in aid of a Europe closer to its citizens.
EXHIBITION: The Origins of the State of Israel Through French Diplomatic Archives
To mark Israeli President Shimon Peres’ state visit to France, the archives department of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has mounted an exhibition showing the salient facts that preceded the founding of the state of Israel from the time when Theodor Herzl gave the Zionist project its theoretical arguments, in line with the nationalist movements, to the declaration of independence of May 14, 1948, recognition by France and the exchange of ambassadors in the summer of 1949.
Some 50 documents and works from the collection (letters, prints and photographs, books), which the archives department keeps and displays, are on view. They show the attention that French diplomats, from the time of the earliest agricultural settlements, paid to the Zionist cause and the support that its leaders (Chaim Weizmann, Nahum Sokolov) requested and sometimes obtained from French diplomats and ministers, foremost among them Aristide Briand. They also recall the movement of sympathy generated after World War II by the efforts of immigrants to get to Palestine (the Exodus affair) then the founding of the state of Israel. Lastly they allow us to put in context France’s policy at the time of the vote at the UN on November 29, 1947 and the proclamation of the new state on May 14, 1948.
The exhibition will be presented tomorrow to Shimon Peres by the minister.
Q - Can you confirm that the minister intends to go to Iraq soon? If so, could you give us a few details about the trip?
As the minister said at the time of his visit to Baghdad in August, he does plan to go back to Iraq. The date of travel hasn’t been fixed yet.
(…)
Q - The speaker of the Finnish parliament has asked for French support to increase EU financing for ecological improvement in the Baltic Sea. If France supports this increase, Finland would be prepared to support the Mediterranean Union. What is France’s position with respect to common financing for Baltic Sea ecology?
We’re not aware of a request from the Finnish authorities concerning the ecology of the Baltic Sea. If such a request were made, it would have to be examined in the appropriate European forums, for example, in the Nordic framework.
Q - Mr. Peres has said he supports the Mediterranean Union. Does that mean that Israel is going to take a full part in it even if Libya and Syria are members?
As President Sarkozy has said, Israel is entitled to take part in the Mediterranean Union in the same way as all the Mediterranean coastal states.
Q - Can you confirm that Berlin and Paris have agreed on the details as the German government spokesman announced yesterday? What is France’s reaction?
I can confirm that a common French-German proposal on the Mediterranean Union will be presented jointly tomorrow by the president and chancellor at the European Council dinner so that the 27 heads of state and government can discuss it.
Q - US President George Bush vetoed a bill passed by the American Congress banning the use of torture and harsh methods of interrogation. Your reaction?
The fight against terrorism must be waged with respect for human rights and international humanitarian law in all circumstances. This implies in particular compliance with obligations under the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment./.
Embassy of France, March 12, 2008
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