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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/SENEGAL President Abdoulaye Wade of the Republic of Senegal made an official visit to France from June 19 to 23 during which he met with the president and prime minister, among others. On June 23, Mr. Wade went to eastern France, to Belfort and Delle, at the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Forni. He had a very heavy program which included meetings with various French policy-makers, including several members of the government: Jean-Claude Gayssot, Minister for Public Works, Transportation and Housing; Catherine Tasca, Minister for Culture and Communications; Roger-Gérard Schwartzenberg, Minister for Research; and Charles Josselin, Minister Delegate for Cooperation and Francophony. President Wade also met with French investors, particularly at Medef and the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The warm and productive meetings with the French authorities dealt with a broad range of subjects--mostly bilateral cooperation, health (hospital of Dakar) and rural development, economic issues and regional matters. President Wade also took advantage of his stay in France to develop the themes and content of his Omega development plan for Africa.
FRANCE/CÔTE D'IVOIRE During his private visit to France from June 17 to 23, President Gbagbo had a private luncheon on June 18 with the president. He met on June 22 with Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and received five ministers of the government: Mr. Fabius, Minister for the Economy and Finance; Mr. Vaillant, Minister of the Interior; Mr. Védrine, Minister of Foreign Affairs: Mr. Richard, Minister of Defense; and Mr. Josselin, Minister Delegate for Cooperation and Francophony. He also had contacts with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Raymond Forni, and Senate President Christian Poncelet. He met with the mayor of Paris and representatives of business community (Medef, CIAN, Chamber of Commerce and Industry). With a mandate from his African peers, like the president of Senegal, to plead the cause of Air Afrique, he also saw Jean-Cyril Spinetta, the president of Air France. These meetings are part of the traditional ties of friendship between our two countries. The Côte d'Ivoire leader repeated his commitment to consolidating democracy and recalled that several inquiries had been opened after the discovery of the mass grave in Yopougon. He thanked France for its support in urging the resumption of cooperation with the EU after consultations were officially closed under article 96 of the Cotonou Convention. The GAC on June 25 supported a gradual resumption. We noted with satisfaction that the IMF began negotiations on June 21 with a view to signing an interim agreement prior to the conclusion of a definitive program with the Bretton Woods institutions. This should pave the way for outside financing and substantial debt alleviation. Our financial support is offered in this context. The talks dealt with the regional situation, especially the River Mano countries. President Gbagbo and the French authorities involved reviewed the cooperation that has been started (51 million FF) especially in civilian sectors following the legislative elections.
FRANCE/EGYPT On the sidelines of the signing of the European Union-Egypt association agreement, Hubert Védrine and Ahmed Maher had a meeting in Luxembourg yesterday. Mr. Védrine welcomed the agreement and believes it will enhance ties between the EU and Egypt and help strengthen the Barcelona Process. The two ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East. They agreed in finding that everything should be done to consolidate the present cease-fire in order to permit the implementation of a political process and the recommendations of the Mitchell Commission. Discussing the forthcoming trip to the region by Mr. Powell--Mr. Védrine talked with him on June 23--the two ministers hoped that the American secretary of state's visit will be productive.
CLIMATE The French delegation led by Ms Voynet, Minister for Regional Planning and the Environment, is taking part in a final series of talks at the Hague before the U.N. climate negotiations resume officially in Bonn in mid-July. The consultations deal with new compromise proposals from the chairman of the negotiations, the Dutch Environment Minister Jan Pronk. Our objectives remain the entry into force of the protocol in 2002 as reaffirmed by our heads of state and government in Göteborg. We hope that the consultations at the Hague are preparing as best can be for the official resumption of the negotiations which are to take place in Bonn in the second half of July. We are continuing to put pressure on the U.S. in this matter.
FYRM (Can you confirm there's a disagreement between France and the Netherlands over the appointment of Mr. Léotard in Macedonia?) No. There were consultations which led to the designation of Mr. Léotard. The facts show that Mr. Léotard was appointed with the agreement of the Netherlands. (Things aren't going too well in Macedonia?) The incidents in Skopje last night make it all the more urgent to return to calm and implement the indispensable measures recalled yesterday by the ministers of the Fifteen, namely: - a cease-fire throughout the country, - the resumption of dialogue for the political settlement of the crisis which cannot be resolved by a military solution. A heavy responsibility lies on the parties in this respect. Mr. Léotard, whom the Council has named the European Union's representative, is meeting today with Mr. Solana and will go to Skopje at the earliest possible date. Mr. Badinter is also on a mission to Skopje at the request of Macedonian leaders. As you know, his mission is a response to a direct request by the president of Macedonia. He asked Mr. Badinter to help the Macedonians develop a constitution that might fully meet the expectations of the various components of the Macedonian population. We will fully support Mr. Badinter.
FRY/KOSOVO (For the Tribunal, the problem is beginning to shape up for Mr. Milutinovic who is the current president of Serbia. What's happening exactly? What does France think? Is Mr. Milutinovic also supposed to appear before the Tribunal or remain the active president in Serbia?) It is not for us to make a decision on this. In a general way, we support the Tribunal's action. In a general way, we also consider that the federal and Serb authorities have begun important political reforms that we support. (About Mr. Védrine's statement on the Americans' delaying a decision which was to have been made tomorrow. He said that it was neither "comprehensible nor constructive." Can you give us more details on what he meant by not comprehensible?) As you know, Mr. Védrine was being asked about the donors' conference for the FRY which is due to be co-chaired by the World Bank and European Commission and might be held on June 29. The conference is supposed to review the state of progress in the reforms and the economic situation in the FRY, and the action by the EU and international financial institutions, and also discuss new bilateral financial advances. We consider that it is appropriate to hold the conference now in the present context, given the political reforms that have been introduced and the FRY's economic needs. The present uncertainty about definite participation by the United States accounts for the minister speaking of the iffiness, and that's not easy to understand. (In any case France supports holding the conference as scheduled on June 29?) We hope that the conference will be held on the dates scheduled. (Is it linked to those indicted being handed over to the Hague?) For France, in any case, we have always taken care not to establish conditions given on the one hand the political reforms that have been started--we have no doubt as the resolve of the Yugoslav authorities to continue this path--and also given especially the country's very pressing economic needs.
IRAQ (How are the negotiations coming along?) The discussions are continuing in New York. As you know, there will be public debate in the next few days. Our objectives remain the same: to reach a resolution that will substantially ease the civilian sanctions--this requires the list of sanctions that will remain subject to Sanctions Committee approval to be as short as possible and the development of procedures for examining contracts in future. The meetings of experts are continuing. Mr. Védrine mentioned them Saturday when he spoke on the phone with Mr. Powell as you know.
SAUDI ARABIA/UNITED STATES (There's likely to be lots of activity in Paris regarding the Middle East with a possible visit by Sheik Abdallah of Saudi Arabia and with Mr. Powell likely to come through Paris. Can you give us a few details about these two meetings?) I can confirm that His Royal Highness Prince Abdallah bin Abd el Aziz al Saoud is scheduled to visit Paris from June 28 to 30. We plan to give you an account of the visit tomorrow. As for a visit by Mr. Powell, I have no confirmation that he is coming./. Embassy of France, June 26, 2001
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