Interview given by M. Michel Barnier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the "Liberation" newspaper.

Paris, February 7, 2005

US/EUROPE

Q. – You want to relaunch the dialogue with the Americans. Are they also ready to do this?

THE MINISTER – A month after his investiture, President Bush is coming to meet the Europeans. Condoleezza Rice is making a round of visits to Europe. These are signs. As regards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there's a new determination in what President Bush is saying. We and the Americans are facing the challenge of confidence. Firstly, the Americans need to trust the Europeans and accept Europe playing its full role in the international arena. Alliance doesn't mean allegiance. A revamped Atlantic Alliance must be based on two pillars (European and American). Secondly, the Europeans must have confidence in themselves in order to be more than just a supermarket or regional power. Do we want to be a global player in the world? A new era is dawning. This is clear when we look at Iraq, where an election has just taken place, the first stage of a process of ending the chaos through democracy. We're seeing the same positive tendency in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It's normal for there to be a new mood on both sides. The question isn't about what we can contribute to the United States or what the Americans can contribute to us. The question is: what can we do together to resolve the problems? I'm thinking too about Haiti, Africa, the Balkans, Afghanistan, as well as the major challenges like terrorism, hunger, poverty, etc.

IRAQ/FRANCE

Q. – Has France got some concrete proposals on Iraq?

THE MINISTER – First of all, as soon as the Americans returned in the spring to the United Nations framework we worked with them on UNSCR 1546, which is today the roadmap for the political resolution of this tragedy. In the Paris Club, we also agreed to reduce Iraq's debt. What concrete action can be taken? Encourage the Iraqi leaders to talk to each other and broaden their dialogue to include all those who reject violence. We are also proposing to train police and emergency services personnel. Through the European Union, we are ready to work on reconstruction and establishing the rule of law. In this respect, the second stage of the process – preparation of a Constitution – will be very important, because it could endorse a form of federal organization, and the fair representation, we hope, of all the communities and political forces. All this has to create in the Iraqi people the feeling that they are progressively regaining control of their destiny.

Q. – Isn't France reduced to playing a minor role?

THE MINISTER – Our arguments are listened to. We want to say useful things. No one wins the peace on their own. Regardless of any disagreements we've had, we are asking our American and European partners and the countries of the region: what can we do together to overcome the Iraq tragedy, and to get Israelis and Palestinians to relaunch a peace process?

IRAQ ELECTIONS/BUSH

Q. – Are the elections in Iraq a Bush victory?

THE MINISTER – Above all they signal an encouraging stage towards the return to stability. But when you see the Iraqi people's suffering and the number of victims, I don't believe President Bush feels like saying: this is a victory, that is a defeat. The aim of the whole international community has to be the success of the political process.

Q. – Is Bush ready to make room for the European Union?

THE MINISTER – I believe it's in his interest.

Q. – Is he convinced of that?

THE MINISTER – It's something he can be persuaded of. It's in the United States' interest to understand that neither they nor the Europeans can confront the world's challenges alone. I don't believe in the "every man for himself" concept. We have to convince. First of all by talking to each other: we and the Americans have to get into a habit of talking to each other, including saying when we don't agree. We haven't done this enough.

IRAN/NUCLEAR

Q. – On the Iranian nuclear issue, the Americans don't seem very convinced by the European mediation.

THE MINISTER – We have here the example of European diplomacy in action. Not France, nor Germany, nor the United Kingdom would have been able to carry out this initiative on their own. I've always thought that the European Union was an instrument for vastly increasing influence. We are credible because there are three of us and we are working in close coordination with the 22 other European countries, as with Russia and China, and with the concern to keep the United States fully informed. The Americans aren't hiding their scepticism. We ourselves are clear-sighted and are moving forward with the Iranians with our eyes open. But to succeed, we need American support. I got the feeling when listening to President Bush, who also severely criticized Tehran, that he wanted to have confidence in the Europeans.

MIDDLE EAST

Q. – Can the Europeans still exert influence In the Middle East?

THE MINISTER – The United States' commitment is necessary, but not enough. We must together support the Process. It's possible with time, determination and a serious will for reconciliation, to build peace step by step. There's a new atmosphere reigning today in the Middle East. Yasser Arafat isn't there any more, a new leader, Abu Mazen has been elected; he has genuine legitimacy and is making clear statements. The Israeli Prime Minister is displaying courage by deciding to pull out of Gaza. There's an opportunity to start moving again towards peace if this withdrawal is indeed the first stage of a more general process. But the Americans will have to understand that this is a pivotal conflict and that, without peace in the Middle East, there won't be a democracy movement in the Broader Middle East.

FRANCE/US

Q. – Are we witnessing a great Franco-US reconciliation?

THE MINISTER – It isn't a matter of forgetting our disagreements or our agreements. There was a clear disagreement on how to get Saddam Hussein to go, but, at the same time, we fought terrorism together in Afghanistan. We were also together in Haiti, are together in Kosovo and often in Africa. The time has come for a new start in our relations. This presupposes our mutual respect and us remembering that being allies doesn't prevent us from defending our convictions./.