Today's Date:

THE MINISTER – (…) This morning we talked about most of the European issues we wanted to discuss. First of all about the good, very good dialogue which has developed between our two countries, and then led to the success of the December European Council.

It’s a dialogue we want to pursue and are going to pursue, because our two countries are not only friends, but have now been members of the same European family for a year and a half. They are keen to play a leading role in the reflection on building Europe and the impetus which can be injected into it.

I’m convinced that thanks to our dialogue on most of the issues of crucial importance for the European Union’s future, on the projects we have to carry out, the priority ones, in order to address people’s expectations, on the issue of the institutions, on EU policy towards our neighbours in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, we’ll be able to formulate common aspirations and perhaps proposals which we get others to go along with.

WEIMAR TRIANGLE/FRANCO-POLISH MEETINGS

We’re going to use the framework of the Weimar Triangle, a forum which is useful not just for discussion but also for initiating proposals. We’ll soon be having a meeting of the Weimar Triangle ministers and then a summit this spring. 2006 will also see many Franco-Polish meetings. My coming here is only a tiny foretaste of what’s in store for us! Because of the large number of bilateral meetings, I’ve passed on some proposed dates for the Polish President’s visit to France. President Chirac had congratulated him on his election and immediately invited him. We’re at the date-fixing stage, but we should be making the practical arrangements for his visit pretty soon now. In 2006 we’ll also have our annual bilateral summit and the intergovernmental seminar. And I also hope the Foreign Minister’s visits to us will be as frequent as possible.

ENERGY SECURITY

Q. – I’d like to know if you talked about energy security?

THE MINISTER – I did indeed talk about it, both to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. We didn’t wait for the recent gas crisis to take the view that it was important for the European Union to adopt an energy policy, which it doesn’t have today. France had proposed including this as one of the major future policies for the EU during the discussions at the Hampton Court European Council. This proposal was accepted and so the 25 now have to draw up and, step by step, build a European energy policy. We have a timetable for this, since it’s the March European Council which has to start taking the first decisions on the matter. And we’ve got proposals too. In March, France will present to her partners a memorandum on the energy policy – other countries, I’m convinced of this, will do the same. We’re looking at these proposals at the level of ECOFIN, which brings together the economy and finance ministers. I’ve given the Polish Foreign Minister a copy of a paper setting out France’s initial ideas in this area and the proposals we’ll be making.

UKRAINE

Q. – (on Ukraine and the European institutions)

THE MINISTER – (…) It is self-evident, it's important to say today, that pursuit of the reforms, pursuit of democratization is of major importance for Europe and we don't wish to see any slipping back. Here, the EU has its role to play. It has the wherewithal to help Ukraine, to support her reform efforts through its neighbourhood policy, which must be implemented and perhaps even anticipated. We talked about it this morning.

EU INSTITUTIONS

As regards the institutions, I'd like to say a brief word on a very complex problem. Indeed, it is time for the 25 to discuss very openly what we can do to prepare the June meeting. Let me remind you that at the June 2005 European Council, the heads of State and government gave themselves a period of reflection. And after the time of reflection comes the time for action.

We must pursue this reflection, the Austrian presidency is committed to this, and we have raised the matter with it. We have to discuss this all together. President Chirac has made proposals: France would like Europeans to think first about how to improve the operation of the institutions in the framework of the existing treaties. And subsequently perhaps go beyond that, in the knowledge that we need in Europe modernized institutions which can improve the way the EU functions. And we must be careful not to cause division and damage what's been built previously. So we are tackling this matter pragmatically, proactively but pragmatically, and I believe it will be necessary, here too, for us to be able in the General Affairs Council, even before the European Council debate, to exchange a number of ideas, look at the proposals made by the various parties and try and find a number of mechanisms which will help us improve things./.