Today's Date:

Philippe DOUSTE-BLAZY: First of all, let me thank you for allowing me to answer your questions in order to explain what is happening today. I believe that the international press has said that this is a crisis situation that could exist in any country. It is a problem of integrating different immigrant populations. The identity crisis is really quite simple: We are one republic, one national community and, as the President has said, all sons or daughters of the Republic. What is the definition of the Republic? It means that there are rights, this is true, but also duties, and more specifically, the duty not to violate the law. Therefore, the violence must be reprimanded. It is not possible or acceptable for one square inch of France to be given over to violence or illegalities. The government reacted immediately, and I see that calm is starting to return.

PDB: I would say that today we are seeing a considerable decrease in the violence. However, the social malaise affecting the tens of thousands of people who work and live in these housing projects, in these neighborhoods, persists. This is why the president decided to invest an enormous amount of money - 30 billion euros – in urban renovation.

So, how does one do that? By tearing down the concrete high-rise public housing projects whose living conditions are inhumane for the people living there. By providing parking lots and community spaces for children, by installing sports facilities, by opening neighborhoods up to one another - that is the huge Urban Renewal Plan that the president has decided upon.

PDB: I've seen that - editorials around the world have been fair, they have all said that it could happen to everyone ...

We have a lot of work ahead of us. We are a country of human rights, so we need to be firm, respectful and tolerant of all.

Then there are the TV images. It is true that seeing French neighborhoods go up in flames on live TV falls within the realm of the freedom of the press. But remember, the hurricane in Louisiana and the footage from the US didn’t lead us to criticize the US image. There are moments when you have to pay particular attention because of the insights they offer. We too now have gained particular insight into what is happening in certain neighborhoods.

The best thing a politician can do is to tell the truth. We have this problem of integration and we will find a solution and we thank you for helping us by explaining it to the American people.

PDB: When you're 18 years old, when you live in a neighborhood where there isn't any work, when you have the impression that your big brother has money only because he's part of the underground drug economy, when your father has never held a job nor has your grandfather, and people look at you because your skin is a different color - often you're desperate and you don't believe politicians. I can understand that. It's up to us to prove that we're there for them too - on the condition that they deserve it, on the condition that they respect the Republic, on the condition that they abide by their duties.

And that they know that they have responsibilities. It's also our responsibility as politicians. Politicians aren't just there to follow opinion polls; politicians aren't just there for the fun of it. Politicians are there to lead the way - and so we are going to say to them: yes, we are going to help you, but at the same time, you need to be worthy of it. Think of the famous Kennedy quote asking not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. It's a subject that's very relevant in France today

JB: Mr. Minister, thanks very much for being with us