Today's Date:

Anti-Semitism/Israel/Middle East/Iraq

Interview given by Michel Barnier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to "France Inter" (excerpts) .

Paris, August 26, 2004

ANTI-SEMITISM/FRANCE

Q. – (...) Silvan Shalom has asked France to impose stiffer sentences on those perpetrating anti-Semitic acts. Has he gone beyond his remit? Even the Jewish community is divided on this subject...

THE MINISTER (...) What I want to say extremely clearly on this question is that it is the responsibility of the French government, the French Authorities, working, of course, together with all the relevant organisations in our country, to protect and ensure the safety of French citizens, regardless of their religion, their faith and their beliefs. For us this is the guiding principle of the French Republic which owes its children, whoever they may be and regardless of their beliefs, the same protection and the same security. And what we said to Silvan Shalom on this point, what Dominique de Villepin told him very clearly was that we, the Head of State, the whole Government, are uncompromising, determined when it comes to fighting all forms of anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racism in our country. We reiterated this intransigence and determination.

FRANCE/ISRAEL

Of course, Silvan Shalom is Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs and when I met him – I hosted a working dinner for him – we mostly talked about other matters to do with our two countries' bilateral relations. And these two peoples, who are friends, have reasons for co-operating, for working, on very concrete issues to do with our young people, science, education and culture.

MIDDLE EAST

And then we also talked a lot, noting, in many instances, points of disagreement about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which, in my view, is the source of a great deal of instability in the world, and is deadlocked. How can we achieve what is everyone's goal, two States: a State of Israel living in security – and we French will never compromise on Israel's security – and a Palestinian State? We need to end this deadlock, get out of this black hole which is capable of continuing to destabilise the whole of the region and very probably beyond it. (...)

IRAQ/FRANCE

Q. – I'm not going to go through all the conflicts in the world, that would unfortunately take a bit too long for a 10-minute programme, but I'd like us to talk about Iraq. Are you still determined not to set foot there, even to protect the UN representatives? The situation is getting complicated and there's clearly an impasse?

THE MINISTER – The situation is very difficult, very unstable. We can see this at the moment in Nadjaf where the situation is very tense and I hope that Ayatollah Sistani, who is returning to Nadjaf, will be able, with the moral authority he commands, to bring about a peaceful solution avoiding further unrest. Let's not say we aren't setting foot in Iraq: we've had an ambassador there for a few weeks and have moreover given consent to the Iraqi ambassador who's in Paris. Men and women representing our country are over there, and I hope businesses too. Admittedly, we haven't got and won't have any French soldiers in Iraq. On the other hand, we're ready – and we're doing it right now – to participate in the country's political and economic reconstruction. This is in the general interest and is why we worked at the United Nations to get a resolution providing a framework for a political process. And this process is very difficult. Next year, there must be elections, as scheduled. We're trying to help the new Iraqi government implement this political process which necessarily entails elections. (...)./.