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Visit to the Middle East
Interview given by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, to the "RCJ" radio station and "Guysen TV", (excerpts) Tel Aviv, September 11, 2007
( ) Q. One of the major problems from the Palestinians' point of view is that of confidence. You had long meetings with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad. Do you get the feeling that the Palestinians have today got confidence in Israel and are envisaging a solution?
THE MINISTER Yes, very clearly, I believe so. Let's not disappoint them. When I say "us", I include myself. I feel Israeli when it comes to not disappointing them and, I might add, Palestinian when it comes to asking the Israelis very specifically to do something to improve the political life of the Palestinians living in the Territories. In Gaza too. Let's not abandon Gaza on the pretext that we're not talking to Hamas. I understand people not talking to Hamas now. But I also want the European Union to go on and it will giving support to the Palestinians who are stuck in Gaza. Q. Precisely, doesn't the fact that there are two powers, two heads Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Mahmoud Abbas on the West Bank doom the negotiations to be short-lived?
THE MINISTER No, that had doomed them before and I think it now gives them a chance. But Gaza mustn't be neglected, of course. The Palestinians have to be given the prospect of a future and shown that things will change for them with peace between Israel and the Palestinian State. That's what we want to prove to them. I hope it will be done. (...) IRAN Q. On Iran, President Nicolas Sarkozy has made some very firm statements saying that an Iran with a nuclear weapon was really unacceptable. Do you share this firmness?
THE MINISTER Yes, I share that feeling, but being firm in speeches isn't enough, we have to be firm on the ground. So we need to prepare sanctions while reaching out to the Iranians. We have to see them, listen to them, talk to them, but above tell the Iranian people that there are solutions other than war. We have to say this to the diaspora and to people who didn't vote for Mr Ahmadinejad. You know Ahmadinejad was elected by 25% of the votes cast. There's a huge section of the population being neglected, feeling cornered, isolated, alone. We perhaps need to talk to them. ( ) GILAD SHALIT Q. We know that France and Egypt have played a very important role in the Shalit affair. What's the situation today?
THE MINISTER Regrettably, we ourselves are at a standstill and it's up to the Egyptians, since we aren't talking to Hamas, and when I go to Egypt in two days' time I'm going to ask them to do more. For the moment, we have to have confidence in them. The efforts must continue and we're continuing. There isn't a meeting, at which the French are present, when we don't call for the release of our compatriot Corporal Shalit. Q. A final word on your personal relationship with Israel.
THE MINISTER As you know, when Israel doesn't do what I believe Israel should do, I'm one of the first to criticize. But from the bottom of my heart I believe that Israel has to exist, has to ensure her security, and has to be in this world, since Israel is a necessity, she must be sure of her future. And I'm ready to fight for this./. Embassy of France in the United States - September 14, 2007
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