Today's Date:

(...) The fight against terrorism since the attacks of 11 September is being waged on two fronts: a comprehensive strategy, conducted on a world scale at the judicial, police, intelligence, economic and financial levels. Our country will resolutely pursue this action until its successful conclusion.

Military Operations/Afghanistan

The second front is of course the armed riposte against bin Laden and his al-Qaida network, an operation of legitimate defence recognized by the United Nations, planned and conducted essentially at national level by the United States, with the international community's approval and participation of a number of countries.

The fourth week of bombing, which has just ended, saw a change of strategy. Initially, the US air forces targeted military infrastructure throughout Afghanistan, such as Taliban command and control centres.

Since 1 November, there has instead been heavy bombing of Taliban positions facing the Northern Alliance fighters particularly around Mazãr-i-Sharif and north of Kabul. Up against strong Taliban resistance, the US action is very determined and should, to my mind, go on. In fact, people should think about what the situation would be if, as some are suggesting, it were halted, and what the alternative would be.

French Approach to the Crisis

The joint approach of President Chirac and the government to the management of this crisis is the following: we stand absolutely foursquare with the United States in the fight against terrorism, particularly its global dimension. The armed riposte against al-Qaida must of necessity be accompanied by the quest for a viable alternative political solution to the Taliban regime, and we mustn't stop resolutely pursuing this search for a political solution because it is more difficult than we may have hoped.

Humanitarian Assistance/International Efforts

Humanitarian assistance to the refugees and displaced persons inside Afghanistan must be scaled up as a matter of urgency since such a disaster threatens. We have discussed with several of our European colleagues - and not just in the London meeting, on Sunday evening, - the scale of this aid, how best to coordinate it between the different bodies working under the aegis of the United Nations World Food Programme, NGOs and the States themselves engaged in this operation.

We have also tried to find ways Europe might itself be able to improve the coordination of its efforts. Following a meeting with NGO representatives, I personally announced the doubling of the funds the government is making available to the NGOs.

Bin Laden/UN

Fourthly, we must avoid any amalgam and resist the trap Mr bin Laden wants to set by broadening the terms of the conflict. Incidentally, I believe that the attack bin Laden has just made on the United Nations reveals his state of mind and is, I think, in the international battle for hearts and minds, the first error he has committed and one to which we must draw the public's attention.

Middle East

Fifthly, it is extremely urgent to resume the negotiations in the Middle East and extricate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the dangerous impasse it's got into. We discussed this point at length in London and, like the others I've just mentioned, it is certainly expected to form the basis of what, in a few hours' time, President Chirac will be saying to President Bush, in Washington, when he's over there.

French Contribution to Military Operations

As for the actual military operations and France's participation (...) there has been no change in the nature of France's military contribution since I last spoke to you.

France is today deploying intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance aircraft, such as Mirage IVs, naval escort and supply capabilities and very recently a mine wartime group, to use the jargon.

Over and above the facilities provided, the cooperation on intelligence which is proving fruitful, and support already given to the US forces, offers in three areas - air, naval and special forces - have been made. We are ready to bolster our support, particularly naval support, at short notice, if requested to do so. This being the case, France's participation in new operations necessitates our full involvement in the definition of the objectives and military planning and, with respect to our own forces, our approval of them.

Political Solutions

Finally, as regards the quest for a political solution, France, particularly through the peace plan for Afghanistan, is giving priority to the restoration of law and order and establishment of a post-Taliban government bringing together the different groups in this strife-ridden territory, working together with her European partners and of course in the framework of the group of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

War Aims

As I have already had occasion to say, the current war isn't a war against the Afghan people. It has to bring about, to return to the initial objective underpinning the action's very legitimacy, the break-up of al-Qaida and replacement of the Taliban by a government representing all components of the Afghan nation. This is the purpose of the consultations being carried out particularly, under United Nations auspices, by Mr Brahimi. It's the goal we are actively seeking, even though we know the task is a delicate one and may take time./.