Today's Date:

THE MINISTER – (...) My thoughts go first to the victims and their families and loved-ones. We are absolutely at one with the British. We have a single objective: to eradicate terrorism; a single approach: one of determination; and a single method: total cooperation.

(...)

On news of the terrorist attacks, I immediately called for two crisis units to be set up: one at the Foreign Ministry in Paris, the other in our embassy in London. (...)

And, in agreement with the British authorities, I'm asking French people who are able to do so to delay any planned visits to London.

The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in New York, 11 March 2004 in Madrid and 7 July 2005 in London are a cruel reminder to us that no great democracy is safe from terror, hatred or inhumanity. These meticulously planned tragic events show that, in our battle against terrorism, we must do the utmost to prevent terrorists from settling permanently in targeted countries. In agreement with the Interior Ministry, we have decided to bring the biometric visa system into general use. As you know, we're currently testing the biometric visa system, known as Biodev, in our consulates in Bamako, Colombo, Minsk, San Francisco and Annaba. Scanners for checking these visas have been installed at the border posts in Roissy and Orly airports, as well as in the port of Marseille. The system involves taking fingerprints of the index fingers of both hands, a digitized photo of the visa applicant and, in the near future, biometric iris scans. This data is digitized and encoded on a card which replaces a visa. This is read by a scanner on the visa holder's arrival on French territory. This system allows the entrance and exit of foreigners with biometric visas to be traced electronically

The system has already been successfully trialled, so I have decided to speed up its deployment and get it installed in our 210 consular posts where visas are issued by 2007.

The cost is around €15 million. It will necessitate a significant increase in the price charged for a visa. As early as 2006, 20 new posts will be equipped, according to a priority list of countries presenting, as you will understand, a high migratory risk. I'll very soon be drawing up the list, liaising closely with Nicolas Sarkozy, Ministre d'Etat, the Interior Minister. With biometric visas in general use, we'll be able to compile a large-scale, interactive, immediately operational, reliable database not only to prevent in France, and elsewhere in Europe, the movements of members of terrorist organizations, but also to combat illegal immigration and all forms or organized trafficking of human beings.

(...)

The Interior Minister has written to ask me (...) if we agree to have biometric visas. This morning I told him that we do. Today I have come to tell you that the Foreign Ministry wishes to bring them into general use. We are going to do so in two stages: initially, we're going to do it – and you will understand this – in particularly exposed areas and afterwards everywhere else. Why? Because if we don't bring it in everywhere, there will of course be weak points in the system. Your question is along the same lines, if France does this, it will certainly be necessary to have the same system throughout the Schengen Area. The different governments you mentioned have also pledged to develop these biometric visas by 2007.

THE MINISTER – You will understand that when the British capital is hit by such attacks, it's normal for France to take decisions first at Vipirate level and then to increase and tighten her border controls. This isn't directed against any particular country. Obviously, no country is being stigmatized.(...)./.