…Middle East

I’m going to read you the statement made by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner.

“I welcome the Israeli authorities’ release this morning of 256 Palestinian prisoners. It is a positive first step. I hope other gestures will follow swiftly and that the 550 or so other prisoners Israel pledged to release in December 2006 will regain their freedom.
“France calls on Israel to rapidly implement the measures that will assist the president of the Palestinian Authority and Salam Fayyad's government: the immediate full restitution of the customs taxes, opening of the crossing points into Gaza, and lifting of the restrictions on the movement of people in the West Bank.
“ Concurrently, France calls on the Palestinians to refrain from resorting to violence and condemns the firing of rockets that are hitting Israeli territory.”

…Libya

I will read the statement made by the minister of foreign and European affairs on July 17:

“I welcome the decision by the Supreme Judicial Council in Tripoli to commute the death sentence against the Bulgarian nurses and doctor to life imprisonment. Even so the important thing is still their actual release. France and the international community remain mobilized in their dialogue with the Libyan authorities to enable them to be handed over to the Bulgarian authorities.

“With regard to our position on the merits, I recall that it is dictated by our solidarity on two counts: with the nurses and doctor, and with the contaminated children.”

Q.- Is France going to contribute, and if so how and by how much, to the compensation fund for the families of the Libyan children contaminated by AIDS in Benghazi?

The European Union, whose budget comes from the member states (for France, 16%), has mounted a Benghazi AIDS action plan for the sick children, focusing on expertise and medical personnel training.

The European Commission also established a support fund in 2006 with Libya, Bulgaria, Britain, the US, Italy, Spain, Malta and France whose purpose is to implement medical assistance programs at the hospital in Benghazi. France contributed to it in 2006 by taking in 150 Libyan children for medical treatment.

- Statements made by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, during his joint press briefing with Mr David Miliband, British Foreign Secretary (excerpts) – Paris, July 18, 2007

AFGHANISTAN

Q. – Do you agree with Italy’s idea of organizing an international or regional conference on Afghanistan to find a political solution?

THE MINISTER – As you know, there was an international conference in Rome two or three weeks ago.  And I had a meeting here with Mr Tom Koenigs, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative.  And we have confirmed that we’re still hoping for a favourable outcome, and that we’re sending more soldiers, and that we’re going to do a bit more still with the civilians. (…)

FRANCE/UK

Q. – What political projects do the two countries wish to pursue together?

THE MINISTER – Briefly, we’ve got some huge political projects, I’ll spare you the details.  In Africa, as David has just said, we’re looking to be very useful in Darfur – at least I hope so – at any rate, together to carry out the operation in Chad to help the civilians.  The civilians are waiting, waiting, waiting.  They’ve been told something’s going to be done, but women and children are dying on the ground.
So, with the European Union, but certainly with Britain and France resolutely working together, we’re going to make a success of this operation.
There are, in the Middle East, in Lebanon, for both the Palestinians and Israelis, so many things to be done.  Now Mr Tony Blair is a representative of the Quartet.  There are many ways forward.
We talked about China, we talked about global warming.  There are lots of things to do.  And you know, when the United Kingdom and France stand together, critically important things can happen.  Which doesn’t prevent us, obviously, from working and being within the European Union.

RUSSIA/UK

Q. – You're talking about solidarity with Britain as regards Russia.  What do you mean by solidarity?  Is France contemplating taking measures as in Britain, where diplomats have been expelled?

THE MINISTER – No.  France isn't contemplating doing anything other than what she has done, i.e. once again affirm her wholehearted solidarity with the United Kingdom, with the decisions the British government has taken.  It seems to us that the best way, above all for the Russians, and for the European Union as well, for this matter not to have any repercussions, is for justice to be done.  Mr Litvinenko was murdered on British territory;  an investigation has been launched.  This investigation absolutely must be pursued and justice done.  This is a very firm French position.

SYRIA/LEBANON/PARIS MEETING

Q. – The French emissary, Jean-Claude Cousseran, is today in Damascus.  I'd like to know if that means Franco-Syrian relations are thawing, improving, and if there may conceivably be other meetings, and at a higher level, in the next few weeks?

THE MINISTER – We're going to see.  I've always said that all those seeking peace in that particular region of the Middle East, and more especially still in Lebanon, would receive France's support.  We tried to bring together in Paris all the representatives of every Lebanese community, since we're the friends of all the Lebanese.  A number of obstacles have disappeared because this was what Syria wanted.  We sent a first emissary to the Syrian government because that seemed to us a good sign of progress on the path towards calming tension.  So long as there are these positive signs on Syria's part, we will indeed talk to her.  It's a start.  I hope I'm not wrong, but in that part of the world, reversals and surprises, bad surprises are frequent.  Happily, the Lebanese communities talked to each other during the weekend at la Celle Saint-Cloud.  That has given a sort of hope, especially to the Lebanese.  They are the ones involved, not us.  I believe the situation in Lebanon is very serious and that the next stage, if they don't succeed in coming to agreement, is war, again.

HAMAS/AL-QAIDA

Q. – Do you agree with your opposite number, Mr Massimo d'Alema, that the isolation of Hamas is pushing it into al-Qaida's arms?

THE MINISTER – I often agree with my friend Massimo d'Alema.  But on that, I don’t.  The policy, were it to continue, of isolating the Palestinian population in Gaza, is indeed a seriously risky one.  It's true.  Now, I believe that Hamas hasn't waited for this extreme situation, the terrible situation in Gaza now, to have contacts with al-Qaida.  And it would perhaps be too simple to think that we, the international community, are to blame.  But I take very seriously the question raised by Massimo d'Alema.  The Palestinians mustn't be left in that situation in Gaza.  Now, let's not accuse the West of being responsible for the links the extremist organizations maintain with each other.

RUSSIA/UK

Q. – If the situation between Russia and Britain stays deadlocked, are you thinking of solutions like, for example, the Luvogoi trial being held in a third country?

THE MINISTER – I don't know.  I don't know at all.  I hope the situation won't stay deadlocked.  For this, the Russians would just need to realize that they aren't being criticized, but that it's simply a matter of democratic justice following its course.
When a British citizen has been murdered on British soil, when there are suspicions, you start an investigation and the aim isn't to give Russia a bad image, or for it to be an attack against the Russian people;   no, it's to pursue the law as is customary in a democratic system.
I hope that will happen (…)./.

- Visit to Serbia and Kosovo – Statements made by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, during his joint press conference with Mr Vuk Jeremic, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs (excerpts) – Belgrade, July 12, 2007

THE MINISTER – My colleague, the Serbian Foreign Minister, has given you a summary of the points of the discussion which is beginning, but can’t go on for years.  The Minister was absolutely clear.  President Sarkozy has asked for six more months.  A new resolution has been submitted for discussion.  This discussion is going to start.
I’d like to talk frankly to my Serbian friends, as I did to the Minister.  There’s got to be a solution agreed by both sides, i.e. Belgrade and Priština, so that stability finally prevails in the Balkans.
We aren’t going to talk again about all the wars and history.  If we did, we’d have to talk about recent history and the last few centuries when France and Serbia have always found themselves together in the most difficult times.  When I say I’m a friend of the Serbs and that France is a friend of Serbia, it’s the truth.  I’m not saying this just because of the situation in Kosovo.
We have a few months ahead of us:  it’s not long.  There’s an absolute consensus on the part of the 27 European Union countries on the need to find a solution.  I agree with what’s just been said about Serbia joining the European Union:  Serbia must join the European Union.  The [accession] process was re-opened in June, and in France you have an ally for your becoming a candidate as soon as possible.
We spoke about all this at the same time, but you mustn’t think this will be possible without there first being a definitive, peaceful resolution of the Kosovo issue agreed by everyone.  All your friends are asking you to work towards this.  We’re ready to do this at your side.

For the remaining months, we are going to establish frequent contacts, not just with France – since France accepts these contacts with pleasure – but with all the other European Union members.  Finding a solution to this final difficult and highly contested point in the Balkans is a European problem.
I tell you, with all the friendship and sincerity I am capable of, if we don't succeed in resolving it, we'll of course come back to the Martti Ahtisaari plan.  There have already been discussions – perhaps not sufficient – which lasted 14 months.

I was the first UN representative and head of UNMIK in Kosovo.  I spent two years in Kosovo.  I think I’m familiar with the problem.  I told your foreign minister:  one day everything will be forgotten.  All wars end with peace settlements.  One day you’ll all be together in the European Union.  For that, you will need to go through this pardon stage and put these clashes behind you.  The Yugoslav socialist republics have fragmented, and democracy, in which you have made tremendous progress, has come to you.  All your friends are delighted about this.  The young have understood that this is a new world.  I know you well.  You begin your sentences in the present and finish them a century before.  Together we must talk about the present and future.  And for this France will be at your side.  I'll be at the side of my colleague, the Foreign Minister.

Q. – Would France unilaterally recognize Kosovo's independence, if there were no Security Council resolution?

THE MINISTER – Why do you immediately want to look at the worst outcome?  What's necessary is to give us, today, the means to seek a solution.
The resolution presented to the members of the Security Council should contribute to this.  It's very different from the initial project.  It has taken account of what the Russians, who were threatening a veto, had asked the international community to rectify.  It's a step forward, but you're right, that prospect exists.  As far as France is concerned – she's very reluctant to do that, as are the other countries – we'd very much like not to have to resort to that extreme.  This is the reason for President Sarkozy's proposal.

Q. – Can we wait until the end of the year for the resolution?

THE MINISTER – Until the end of the year, certainly yes.  But once again, we can't wait forever.  That wouldn’t do any good and would be doing our Serbian friends and our Kosovo friends a disservice./.

- Interview given by M. Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Minister of State responsible for European Affairs, to "Radio Classique" (excerpts) – Paris, July 11, 2007

(…) Q. – There's one issue, trade policy, on which France, with Nicolas Sarkozy, has taken some fairly strong positions.  France refuses to demonstrate naivety in trade policy.  In the globalized economy, France remains open to the world, but has decided to bare her teeth a bit.  How is this going to manifest itself?  Can we be the only ones in the world to talk like this, or are we going to have to convince others in Europe, which isn't so simple?

THE MINISTER – We're in favour of globalization.  France is open to the outside world.  I remind you that France ranks fourth in the world in terms of inward investment.  France is also one of the countries which invest the most abroad.  You mustn't confuse this openness, the benefits we gain from globalization in terms of economic growth and employment – since foreign firms which have set up in France are a great source of jobs – with the application of a purely free-market doctrine.  All our partners, including the United States, which is a major free-market power, defend their interests.  What we're saying is that in a globalized economy, Europe, just like the United States and our Asian partners, and particularly Japan, has to defend its interests.  Globalization won't work unless there are balanced benefits for all parts of the world.  So we're refusing to be locked into a process consisting in saying that, on one side, there are the bad French protectionists, and on the other, the good free-marketeers.  It has to be understood that for some countries, being free-market economies also means defending their interests.  We're open to the world;  you can be open, recognize the benefits of globalization and reject naivety and laissez-faire economics.  This is what we're telling our partners.  It isn't just in France's interest, it's in Europe's interest, and we can see this clearly in the framework of the WTO negotiations. (…)./.