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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/CHINA Hubert Védrine will meet on Monday, April 2, with his Chinese counterpart, Tang Jiaxuan. The two ministers last met in September in New York at the beginning of the 55th session of the U.N. General Assembly. Mr. Védrine himself went to Beijing on July 14, 2000. In the afternoon, Mr. Tang will see President Chirac. The meeting, to be followed by a luncheon, will allow the two ministers to exchange views on the main issues at this time affecting, in particular, international peace and security and also trade, particularly in light of Chin's entry into the WTO. They will of course examine the situation in Asia and progress in European integration. The two ministers will study the whole range of bilateral issues--in the political domain, economic relations, plus cultural, scientific and technical cooperation. (Is Mr. Védrine going to raise the question of human rights in China?) All the main international issues will be discussed. The issue is very much in the news at this time as the Human Rights Commission is meeting in Geneva. The subject will therefore be discussed as it is every time, moreover.
FRANCE/GEORGIA Foreign Minister Védrine will meet on April 4 with his Georgian counterpart, Irakli Menagarichvili. Georgia is a country with which we have friendly and close relations. As you know, France was instrumental in the formation of the Friends of Georgia Group. The minister will reaffirm France's support, especially in this context, for the country's independence and territorial integrity. The meeting will afford an opportunity for a review of the situation in Georgia, bilateral relations and an opportunity to discuss the main regional questions of interest to both our countries. (Will the program of Georgia's relations with Abkhazia be discussed at the meeting?) Of course since the Friends of Georgia Group is working precisely on this issue. So it will obviously be one of the questions discussed.
FRANCE/QUEBEC Ms Beaudoin, Quebec's Minister of State for International Relations and for Francophony, will be in France from April 2-4. She will have talks with the Minister Delegate for Cooperation and Francophony, Mr. Josselin. She is the first member of the new Quebec government to come to France since Bernard Landry took office on March 8. He succeeded Lucien Bouchard as prime minister of Quebec.
FRANCE/MALTA Edward Fenech-Adami, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta will visit Franc on April 3 and 4, 2001. He will see the president on April 4 at 12 noon. He will also have a meeting with the prime minister on April 3 at 5 p.m. A dinner, with Bernard Kouchner, Minister Delegate for Health, presiding, will be offered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday evening. The visit will be an opportunity to develop our bilateral relations. These are good since France is Malta's leading trade partner, its leading client, since 1997, and leading supplier since 1999. To date, 20 chapters on community achievements have been opened with Malta, 13 are provisionally closed. The agenda will also include the question of the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue in which Malta is participating in the context of the Barcelona process. Malta is also a member of the 5+5, as you know.
AFGHANISTAN The foreign minister chaired a meeting yesterday, March 29, to which were invited experts on Afghanistan from various fields, particularly analysts, academics and representatives of French NGOs operating in the country. The minister wanted to hear everyone's analyses and experiences to illuminate the choice of means for all aspects of our policy towards that country. Whether in regard to assistance to people, the type of dialogue to be established, the use of sanctions, the attitude towards countries in the region, etc. it was a useful meeting. (Can you confirm a projected visit to France by Commander Massoud precisely to organize a meeting with Mr. Védrine?) I'm not denying it and I can't confirm it yet either.
BALKANS (Can you tell us something about what was said in Washington about Yugoslavia between Mr. Védrine and Mr. Powell?) There's complete agreement, as Mr. Védrine said, between the Americans and Europeans on defending the territorial integrity of Macedonia. No one either in Europe or in Washington is willing to allow the borders to be brought into question by the terrorist actions of extremist groups. Everyone agrees on the fact that Macedonia's territorial integrity and political structure have to be preserved. The answer in this situation consists of two aspects. There is a military aspect: better monitoring of the borders which the extremists cross when they try to carry out destabilizing actions--better control of both sides of the border. Then there's a political aspect. As you know, we have invited the Macedonian authorities, whose action we support, to re-launch a political dialogue with the Albanian community as soon as possible in Macedonian institutions, and the Macedonian government has expressed its intention to do so. (About Yugoslavia. Did you discuss the problems of the U.S. Congress and American aid?) Yes. About certification, we repeated our position which is well-known. We are waiting with interest for the decisions that could be announced in the U.S. on this in a just a few days. (Is it possible to evaluate the present situation in Macedonia? Is it better, not as good?) There was violence yesterday on the border between Macedonia and Kosovo which we deplore since, as you know, two Albanian civilians from Kosovo and a British cameraman died during the violence. So the situation remains difficult. For the rest, we are still supporting the Macedonian authorities in their action, as I said just a moment ago.
FRANCE/RUSSIA (People are expecting Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov to arrive for his visit to Europe, especially Paris, any day now. Can you give us the exact date of his arrival in Paris? The purpose of his visit and the subject of the talks--people are saying the Balkans--and his eventual interlocutors?) We've not yet announced the visit. We will give out the details ahead of time. With regard to his interlocutors, the answer is the same. I can confirm that the Balkans will be a very important topic. (But it's a bilateral visit, not a Contact Group meeting?) There were joint consultations this week, at political directors' level, among the Contact Group countries. The consultations revealed some convergence of views on the analysis of the situation and the policy to be implemented. That's likely to lead to a Contact Group meeting at ministerial level in the near future. (Colin Powell has agreed to a ministerial-level meeting?) Ask him, I'm not his spokesman. (Was the matter raised between Mr. Védrine and Mr. Powell?) The question was discussed at his meetings in Washington. After the meeting of political directors, we had the impression that the way was open for a meeting. That means that on the level of principles, we didn't sense that there was any objection whatsoever. However, the practical conditions have still to be considered.
ARAB SUMMIT (Do you have comment on the Arab summit?) We noted with interest the decisions taken at this summit, for example, regarding the financial assistance for the Palestinian Authorities. We hope that the aid will be implemented swiftly, thereby supplementing the efforts deployed by the European Union.
MIDDLE EAST (What is France's attitude vis-à-vis the Security Council and the U.S. veto? In the communiqué, there was an impression that there was a contradiction because you justified France's abstention and at the same time implied support for the Palestinians?) (Catherine Colonna announced today a meeting between President Chirac and President Mubarak concerning the possibility of common action regarding the situation in the territories. Do you have any idea, is the Franco-Egyptian initiative going to be revived?) Concerning the vote, maybe I can read the key paragraph of the remarks by our permanent representative in New York that show there is no contradiction; The reason we abstained has to do mainly with the different démarche that we have chosen together, Mr. Levitte said. On the substance, the draft that was put to the vote had considerable merits but we abstained because the four European countries have together chosen a different démarche, of trying to see if there was room, on the underside of the expectations of the promoters of the Palestinian draft, if there was room in the days, the weeks ahead, for a common language in the Security Council on the immediate events, which presupposes a démarche more directed to the search for a consensus The abstention doesn't change anything in the substance of France's foreign policy, its commitment alongside all those who suffer today and want to build their nation, their state, in peace. (Mr. Védrine said that the observers would serve no purpose and that there should be a resolution on restraint, according to an AFP dispatch?) I refer you to the French position on this, that which the minister expressed yesterday on LCI. As you know, we are still in favor of any mechanism, especially an observer mission, that would help protect the civilian population, especially Palestinian civilians, who are the most exposed and the main victims in the violence. But such a mechanism could only contribute effectively to protecting them if it was also accepted by the Israelis and had their cooperation. That is why together with our European partners in the Council we were not able to support the text that was put to the vote by the non aligned countries. (Does the fact that Mr. Peres is coming to Paris next week indicate that France still has some hope for the region?) We are in the midst of escalation, certainly. The minister believes that rather than speculate about the role of various parties, it's essential to recognize the situation at this time. It is a matter of absolute urgency to prevent matters from worsening further, to stop the escalating violence. That's what we're working on. Words today don't count for much; the truth is that our interlocutors on the Israeli side have been elected by Israelis, that there's a wave of deep unrest going through Israeli society and it was reflected in the elections. So whatever we believe, we must work, we must try not to exacerbate things. The same also holds true for the Israelis: they too must know that words today are not necessarily going to take things forward. They too have to work with the interlocutors they have, that is to say with Mr. Arafat. (What is your assessment of Mr. Arafat's comments when he said yesterday that the Intifada would last until the Palestinian flag flies over Jerusalem. Does that contribute, in your view, to the restraint you want to see and have called for?) The statement, like several other Israeli statements, shows precisely that we are in great danger of escalation. I think it reflects what the minister has said on several occasions about the very great despair in the Palestinian world and even beyond. (At this time, the minister has called the situation very serious. How can tensions be eased? What are you doing and at what level?) What we can repeat is what we believe. A number of things should be done. There should be both Israeli and Palestinian commitments. We think that the Israelis should lift the blockade of the Occupied Territories and stop preventing movement. The Israeli army should show restraint. The Palestinians, especially the Palestinian Authority, should do everything in their power to limit the violence, the provocation, the attacks and terrorism obviously. It's known that they don't control everything, but we also know that they have a lot of influence. The Israelis should freeze the settlements, a very serious thorn exacerbating the situation. Unilateral decisions should be avoided in the whole of this context. It's important to enable the Palestinian Authority to operate on the financial plan, as we've said; that is part of the conclusions of the General Affairs Council. In short, it's essential to recreate a climate, not of trust, because we'll not get there in one fell swoop, but a climate that will make it possible to stop the violence. May I remind you that in Stockholm, on March 24, 2001, the European Union invited Mr. Solana to stay in contact with all the parties concerned and to report in association with the Commission no later than the European Council in Gotesborg on the possibilities for the European Union to play a greater role in the resumption of the peace process. (Washington referred to President Assad's speech at the Arab Summit as unacceptable What is your position. Do you share this opinion or do you have another position?) The search to ease tensions must be everyone's priority... (How would you describe the relations of Mr. Védrine and Mr. Powell on he situation, are the positions rather far apart?) The impression retained by the minister is that of an intermediate phase in the U.S., that U.S. policy is still developing and so it is a bit too soon to have a definitive position. (How much time is still required?) We have drawn the Americans' attention obviously to the particularly tragic nature of the situation, the risks of escalation. At this time they're still out, and the decisions aren't in yet, that's clear.
FRANCE/NORTH KOREA (The North Korean Foreign Minister is visiting Paris next week. Who will receive him at the Quai d'Orsay?) He will indeed be visiting France from April 1-4. As we have indicated, he will be meeting with the head of the Foreign Ministry's Asia section. (Has France changed its policies since the last summit? Will France follow the same direction as some of its European partners?) On the basics, our policies haven't changed. We have a mandate that was agreed to by the General Affairs Council last November 20. It was in that context, and on the basis of that mandate, that the head of the Asia section visited Pyongyang as part of a "troika" to expand the dialogue between the European Union and North Korea. By the same token, we will re-state our concerns to North Korea, which are non-proliferation, human rights, the humanitarian situation, and the need for progress in the inter-Korean dialogue.
UNITED STATES/KYOTO ACCORDS (Do you have any reaction to the U.S. administration's position on the Kyoto accords?) Yes. When the Foreign Minister was in the United States, he conveyed the Europeans' consternation to his American counterpart. Certainly, the United States is acknowledging the problem, but how can they imagine that the solution doesn't concern them while nationally and per capita, they are the main contributors to worldwide CO2 emissions?
UNITED STATES (Do you have any details on the arrest of James Kopp? Will he be extradited?) On March 23, the Foreign Ministry received a provisional request for the arrest of James Charles Kopp--an American citizen--for the purpose of extraditing him to the United States. Kopp has been charged with second-degree murder, and a warrant for his arrest was issued in September 2000 by the State of New York. We arrested Mr. Kopp pursuant to the terms of our bilateral convention. (There was no extradition request?) No. Just a provisional request for arrest. Indeed, now it is up to the American authorities to present the French authorities with a formal request for extradition accompanied by various court documents. That is the normal procedure. (Will extradition be conditioned on an American pledge not to condemn Mr. Kopp to death?) The decision will be handled by the competent authorities. It is a matter for the courts, and I can't tell you what they will say./. Embassy of France, March 30, 2001
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