…Pakistan/Rawalpindi attack
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 4, 2007)
France condemns this double attack and deplores the use of such cowardly, heinous methods. France assures the Pakistani authorities of its solidarity and conveys its condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of this tragedy.
…India
PStatement made by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner (August 27, 2007)
“I was horrified to learn of the attack which struck civilians in Hyderabad and which we condemn in the strongest possible terms. I offer my condolences to the victims’ families and friends. I assure the Indian authorities of France’s solidarity and sympathy.”
…Algeria/Suicide attack in Batna
I would like to return to the attack that tragically struck Algeria yesterday and remind you of the foreign and European minister’s communiqué issued September 6th:
“I would like to express my horror and indignation following this afternoon’s barbarous attack in Batna.
I want to extend my sincere condolences and my total solidarity to the families and loved ones of the victims and to the Algerian authorities and people.”
…Mideast
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 4, 2007)
Q: King Abdullah of Jordan was in Paris yesterday to discuss a number of subjects, and especially France’s role in the Mideast Conference later this year. Can we get a clearer idea of France’s role in this conference?
I refer you to the Elysée spokesman for a precise report of what took place at the Elysée. President Bush had proposed this conference for the fall, and you’ll recall that in the letter the foreign minister and his Mediterranean EU colleagues sent to Mr. Blair, it was also proposed to hold a conference. We support a conference as long as it deals with the final status of the Territories. We’ve also said we support the participation of the Quartet, to which the EU belongs.
Q: What is France’s position on Syria’s participation in the international conference, as many countries wish?
As I’ve said, things must move forward. We haven’t made a decision on the conference’s format. We would like the conference to be useful, to allow for fruitful discussions. And it’s clear that that will be possible only if there is general trust among the parties.
For that to happen, everyone must renounce violence, both on the Palestinian and on the Israeli side. On the Israeli side, there must be additional gestures to help the president of the Palestinian Authority, whether they be the release of prisoners, the lifting of travel restrictions, the dismantlement of settlements or the opening of checkpoints.
Generally speaking, solutions can be found only when there is trust among all the parties. There must also be convincing proposals on the viability of the future Palestinian State and an assurance of the international community’s support. The EU and France want to contribute fully in this regard. No doubt there will be many contacts, bilateral and multilateral, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Then we’ll have a clearer idea about the conference.
Q: Can you confirm Bernard Kouchner’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and the date?
Yes. The visit will begin on September 10. We will give you a detailed presentation before the end of the week, as soon as we have specific knowledge of the various stages. The foreign minister is definitely going to Israel and to the Territories.
Q: What’s the purpose of his trip?
Without waiting for the UN General Assembly, where many contacts take place, the minister wanted to see the situation on the ground and discuss the status of the peace process with all the concerned parties. This part of the world is a priority for him, as Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.
Q: There’s a meeting in Portugal with the EU foreign ministers just after the Jordanian king’s visit. There’s also this Mideast conference.
Events don’t stop in the Mideast. You mentioned the meeting of foreign ministers at the end of the week, an informal meeting where questions concerning the region will of course be raised. The foreign minister has decided to travel to the region now. He is following what’s going on there on a daily basis. His trip is indeed taking place a few days before the informal meeting of foreign and European ministers in Portugal and a few days before the UN General Assembly.
Q: Is it a fact-finding mission?
A mission to get information on the situation. To contribute to anything that can foster dialogue, anything that can help regional stability.
Q: Is there any possibility that Mr. Kouchner might go to Damascus during his next visit to the Mideast in the coming days?
It isn’t planned.
Q: Has it been ruled out?
Diplomats steer clear of such definitive answers. That said, when I say it isn’t planned, you should understand it really isn’t planned.
…Lebanon
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 7, 2007)
The foreign and European affairs minister will visit Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon on September 10-13. The minister will be in Lebanon on September 13.
Q: Mr. Kouchner said he would return to Lebanon if there was something new with respect to the pursuit of the French initiative. So there must be something new if he’s going to Lebanon. What are these new things leading him to return to Lebanon?
Indeed, the minister had pledged to return to Lebanon. You know that Mr. Cousseran, as part of the personal mission confided to him by the minister, has pursued contacts with the Lebanese parties and other interlocutors.
With the minister traveling to the region for such an important trip, it seemed natural to keep his commitment and to visit Beirut to pursue, at his level, contacts and dialogue with the Lebanese players in Beirut.
Q: Can this trip be interpreted as proof of progress? He said he would only go if it were useful.
The minister is visiting Lebanon to pursue our contacts with the Lebanese parties as a follow-up to the Celle Saint-Cloud Conference, the visit he already made to Beirut, and in light of the contacts made by Mr. Cousseran. That’s the purpose of his visit.
Q: But have changes been favorable or not? Is he going because they are favorable, or is he going because nothing is happening to revive the process? You can interpret it both ways. […]
The minister wanted to take advantage of his trip to the region to go to Beirut and meet with the main parties and players in Lebanon […] in order to pursue and reaffirm our attachment to Lebanese unity, independence, sovereignty and stability.
Certainly these meetings will enable us not only to hear the viewpoints of our interlocutors in these circumstances, while we are reaffirming our concern over the presidential election process within the scheduled time frame and in accordance with constitutional rules, but also to see if there are any opportunities to be seized.
Q: Where is Mr. Cousseran?
He was in Rome the day before yesterday for meetings with the prime minister’s office, with collaborators of the Italian president and foreign ministry officials. He was also having discussions with the Holy See and a meeting with the Patriarch. Otherwise, we will obviously tell you where he goes and who he meets with, as we have been doing.
Q: There’s talk of a common European position on Lebanon during the Blaesheim meeting. Can you confirm that? Second, is Mr. Kouchner’s trip to Beirut a show of support, given that you had already expressed support for the initiative of the president of the Lebanese Parliament? […]
On the first point, are you referring to a European statement? Blaesheim is Franco-German. If you are referring to a European meeting being held at this time, or about to be held, that would be Gymnich, which will be held late this morning and tomorrow in Portugal. As you know, it’s an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers. The Mideast is one of the topics that will be discussed there.
As for Nabi Berri, we hailed the announcement by the president of the Lebanese Parliament that Parliament would be convened on September 25, in line with what he had announced. This convocation should be the first step in the process of electing a new president. And as I just said, we are reiterating our desire to see this vote take place according to the scheduled timetable and in accordance with constitutional rules. Otherwise, Mr. Berri's remarks lead us to think—and this is also one of the reasons the minister wanted to include Lebanon in his trip—that there are no doubt opportunities to be seized. That is the essence of the messages he will convey to his interlocutors.
[…]
Q: You said at the same time that you would wait to have more information before making a judgment: the modalities for voting, the program, candidates’ names… Do you have this information now?
No. The minister’s visit will obviously be an opportunity to take stock of this issue with all the officials he will meet.
Q: It will be discussed with his interlocutors in Beirut?
The minister is traveling to Lebanon to discuss the current situation and the outlook for holding presidential elections.
…Colombia/France
Let me read you the communiqué issued September 4th following the foreign minister’s meeting with his Colombian counterpart:
“Foreign and European Minister Bernard Kouchner received his Colombian counterpart, Fernando Araujo, today at the Quai d’Orsay.
This cordial meeting, which lasted nearly an hour and a half, gave them a chance to discuss the situation in Colombia, and notably its recent political and social developments. They also discussed the issue of hostages held by the FARC, including our compatriot Ingrid Betancourt, as well as the mediation effort proposed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, which France supports.
Mr. Kouchner listened closely to Mr. Araujo Perdomo’s account of his six years of detention by guerillas and paid tribute to his courage.
The ministers also underscored the need to further expand the rich bilateral relationship between France and Colombia.”
…Terrorism
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 6, 2007)
The arrests by the German and Danish authorities have demonstrated the effectiveness of preventive actions to fight terrorism.
The scope of the thwarted attacks must incite the international community to redouble its efforts in this fight and should lead the Europeans in particular to further strengthen cooperation in this area.
In France, all services involved in the fight against terrorism remain fully mobilized.
…Chad
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 4, 2007)
Q: With respect to the European force that will be deployed in eastern Chad, can you confirm that France will provide most of the troops at a time when Belgium appears very divided?
France is ready to contribute, but discussions at the UN Security Council must move ahead rapidly in order for the operation to be deployed. We hope the events taking place at the opening of the UN General Assembly, particularly the September 25th meeting devoted to Africa, will help mobilize the international community in this direction. At the European level, the decision in principle to plan the operation was made at the last General Affairs Council. We’ll get back to you on how the talks evolve.
…France/250th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis De Lafayette
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 6, 2007)
Foreign and European Minister Bernard Kouchner visited Chavaniac, in the Haute-Loire, this morning, to inaugurate with the American Ambassador a monument to the memory of the Marquis de Lafayette, a figure who is emblematic of the alliance between France and the United States.
A son of the Enlightenment, Lafayette decided in 1777 to place his love of freedom in the service of American independence.
Rallying the revolutionaries, the artisan of the victory at Yorktown alongside George Washington convinced Louis XVI’s France to support the birth of the American nation, thus opening the first chapter in the history of the friendship between our two countries.
…Iraq
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 4, 2007)
Q: Do you have any comment following the American President’s statement yesterday concerning a possible withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq?
We recalled our position yesterday with respect to the British decision. We think there must be an organized timetable for troop withdrawal.
- Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 5, 2007)
Q: The Iraqi court has upheld the death sentence of Ali Hassan al-Majid. What is your reaction. Have you communicated your position to the Iraqi authorities?
We noted the Iraqi Supreme Court’s confirmation of the decision by the Iraqi High Criminal Court, which had sentenced Hassan al-Majid to death on June 24 along with two other officials of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The authors of crimes must be held accountable for their acts and be judged with respect for the principles of fair justice.
France however reiterates its opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances. It is working on behalf of its universal abolition with all its EU partners.
- Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 7, 2007)
France hails Staffan de Mistura’s appointment as the UN secretary-general’s special representative to Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
We offer Mr. de Mistura our best wishes for success for his high mission and express our desire to work in close cooperation with him in the framework of the expanded mandate given to UNAMI by SCR 1770, adopted on August 10, 2007, and which France supported and voted for yesterday.
France thanks Mr. de Mistura’s predecessor, Ashraf Qazi, for his remarkable work at the head of UNAMI and, in particular, for his efforts on behalf of political dialogue and national reconciliation in Iraq.
On the occasion of his recent trip to Baghdad, the minister underscored the importance of the role of the UN in the areas of peace and reconstruction in Iraq.
Q: Do you have any information on the meeting with Hoshyar Zebari?
It’s next Friday. We will give a presentation on it sometime next week.
…Iran
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (September 4, 2007)
Q: Last Saturday, Le Monde ran a story indicating that France agreed to unilaterally impose sanctions on Iran, outside of the UN framework. Can you give us any information on that subject?
As long as the Iranians don’t suspend their sensitive activities, we would like to see additional sanctions imposed on Iran, in accordance with Security Council resolutions. Our priority is to see these sanctions adopted by the Security Council.
There are, however, sanctions outside of the Security Council. Within the European framework, for example, the EU has decided on measures in addition to the ones provided within the Security Council framework, notably the addition of new individuals and entities to the list of those who are subject to the freezing of assets and visa bans, a general weapons embargo, and an embargo on additional dual-use items.
So there are sanctions that go beyond those that exist in the Security Council framework.
Q: But in the Le Monde article, they weren’t talking about the EU or its sanctions, but American or French-British sanctions. ?
We work within the UN framework as a matter of priority. But if Iran doesn’t respond satisfactorily to our demand for suspending activities linked to enrichment and reprocessing, we must draw the consequences in our discussions on sanctions.
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