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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/CAMEROON
The minister delegate for cooperation and Francophony visited Cameroon on April 15 and 16 and attended the meeting of franc zone ministers while there.
On April 16 he met with the head of state, Paul Biya, and the prime minister, Peter Mafany Musonge. The meetings were given over to the launch of the "non-indebtedness and development contract" between France and Cameroon which will represent, starting at the end of 2003, debt-refinancing on the order of 90 million euros a year for the first six years.
At his meeting with the prime minister, the minister delegate emphasized the importance of this future contract for relations between the two countries and the work that lies ahead with the actors in development, especially local authorities.
With the president, the minister delegate discussed the situation in central Africa and the Middle East (Cameroon has been a member of the Security Council since January 2002).
At the sixth Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, which will conclude in the Hague tomorrow, Yves Cochet and Jurgen Trittin announced they would launch a joint initiative for the protection and sustainable management of forests in the Congo basin, the second largest rain forest after Amazonia and a treasure of biological diversity.
The initiative will involve the governments concerned, populations, representatives of the wood industry and NGOs. The two ministers have invited all the interested partners to be involved.
The Franco-German initiative will be officially launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Dvelopment which will be held in Johannesburg from August 26 to August 4.
I'd like to draw your attention to the speech Charles Josselin made yesterday at the opening of the annual meeting in Paris of scientists from the Landmine Observatory, and the fact sheet on this issue which is posted on our website.
Q - Is it true that the families of some of the French nationals being held at Guantanamo Bay are going to meet with officials at the Quai d'Orsay?
We can confirm that the families of three French nationals held at Guantanamo Bay will have a meeting at the Quai d'Orsay on Friday, April 19, with their attorneys.
As you know, we asked right at the beginning of their detention that all prisoners, whatever their status and nationality, should be treated in accordance with the guarantees recognized by international law.
May I also remind you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent two missions to the base and they met with all our nationals.
Q - Do you think that Colin Powell's mission is a failure?
We never underestimated the difficulties of Mr. Powell's mission.
The absence at this stage of tangible results and a concrete response to the demands of the Security Council make that clear.
Perseverance is needed. We are continuing our efforts with the United States.
Q - What about the delivery of humanitarian aid that you sent for the population on the West Bank?
The aircraft chartered by France is being unloaded in the Palestinian territories, under the authority of the ICRC, and it should be completed in the new few hours.
Let me remind you that the aircraft chartered on Tuesday carried 22 tons of equipment-- temporary shelters, a mobile health unit, health kits and medicines for the Palestinians./.
Embassy of France, April 18, 2002
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