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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.] UN: RAMA YADE’S VISIT TO NEW YORK (April 16-17)
Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Secretary Rama Yade will be in New York on April 16 and 17. She is attending the Security Council summit on April 16 on relations between the United Nation and regional organizations. The meeting, convened at the initiative of South African President Thabo Mbeki, will be attended by several heads of state from Africa and will focus on strengthening the partnership between the UN and regional organizations, the African Union in particular. France supports extending this partnership both in a bilateral capacity and in the context of European Union action to increase capacity-building in Africa.
On the sidelines of this meeting, the secretary of state will meet with several heads of delegations, including Somali’s President Yusuf who supported France in resolving the crisis of the Ponant.
Ms Yade will also use the trip to promote France’s bid to renew its seat on the Human Rights Council at the elections in May.
We welcome the adoption of a presidential statement in the Security Council yesterday on the implementation of resolution 1701. This text reiterates the international community’s ongoing commitment to Lebanon and particularly the application of all provisions of resolution 1701. The presidential statement clearly reaffirms support for UNIFIL which is deployed in support of Lebanese armed forces and is a key factor for stability in a difficult context.
The Security Council wants to see greater progress in areas which the UN secretary-general has called “key” issues in his various reports, among them, compliance with the arms embargo, establishment of a zone free of weapons and illegal armed personnel south of the Litani, respect for the Blue Line and an end to Israeli overflights, the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, the demarcation of Lebanon’s international borders, a settlement of the Shebaa Farms question, the issue of the Israeli prisoners kidnapped by Hezbollah and Lebanese prisoners held in Israel, Ghajar.
In adopting this presidential statement, the Security Council reaffirms its full support for the secretary-general’s efforts and expects all the parties concerned, especially the countries in the region, to fully cooperate with him.
Q - China refused yesterday to condemn the calls for a boycott of French-made goods circulating on the Internet, concerning particularly retail distributor Carrefour which has a large presence in the country. The Chinese foreign minister warmed France, saying “everything has a reason” and calling for France to listen carefully to the voice of the Chinese people. What’s your reaction?
France and China have close relations in all areas, especially in the economic sphere. We talk about all matters together with mutual confidence. We listen to the voice of the Chinese people, which is a friendly people, but the calls for a boycott have come from a very small minority and we have no knowledge of any effect of these initiatives on our economic relations.
Q - NGOs have asked for an urgent meeting with the minister to discuss the fate of the Franco-Palestinian Mr. Hamouri, who has been held in Israel for three years. Does the minister intend to receive representatives of these organizations?
The representatives of these associations were received on Monday by the minister’s adviser in this matter. The minister, who met Mrs. Hamouri on his last visit to Jerusalem, continues to personally follow the situation of Mr. Hamouri who must be tried or released immediately.
(…)./.
Embassy of France, April 17, 2008
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