Daily Press Briefing
Statements made by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
(excerpts)
(Paris, January 24, 2008)
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
POLAND/STATEMENT BY MR. KOUCHNER
[Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.]
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
I will read the communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs yesterday evening:
“France is pleased at the success of the Goma conference on peace, security and development in the Kivus, and welcomes the signing by the Congolese government and armed groups of ‘acts of commitment’ which mark a new and decisive stage for the re-establishment of a lasting peace in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“It congratulates President Kabila, the Congolese authorities and the organizers and all the actors in the conference whose mobilization and spirit of dialogue and consensus made it possible to achieve this success.
“France encourages all the parties involved to implement the commitments that were made as quickly as possible. In close consultation with its partners in the international community, it will continue to support the Congolese authorities efforts to this end. The foreign and European affairs minister will reaffirm this during his visit to the DRC on January 25 and 26.
“France invites all the countries neighboring the DRC to join fully in the implementation of these agreements.”
POLAND/STATEMENT BY MR. KOUCHNER
“It is with great sadness that I learned of the crash of a military transport at Miroslawiec airport in Poland which claimed the lives of 20 Polish military last night. Among them was the colonel commanding the base who had recently taken courses at the Collège Interarmé de Défense.
“The tragedy is felt all the more deeply in our country because of the longstanding solidarity and friendship between our two armies which are deployed together today in many external theaters in both European Union and NATO operations.
“In these tragic circumstances I offer my condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones and to the Polish authorities.”
Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Secretary of State for European Affairs, met on Wednesday, January 23, with Kostyantyn Yeliseyev, Ukraine deputy foreign minister for relations with the European Union, the countries of central and eastern Europe and the Caucasus. This was the first meeting at ministerial level between our two countries since the new government of Ukraine was formed.
At the meeting, Mr. Jouyet emphasized the importance France attaches to deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union. The development of these relations will be reflected in the new EU-Ukraine enhanced agreement on which negotiations started on March 5 last year. With a view to the upcoming EU-Ukraine summit, which will take place in the second half of 2008, France will play an active role so that the talks move forward toward an ambitious agreement reflecting the strategic dimension of EU-Ukraine relations.
Exchanges on the development of relations between France and Ukraine will be continuing in the context of preparation for the French presidency of the Council of the European Union, specifically when Mr. Jouyet visits Kiev on February 14.
The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe yesterday invited the UN Security Council and EU Council to comply with the rules of law in drawing up “black lists” of people and organizations suspected of terrorist activity. Do you agree on revisiting this list and on what basis, if not what are your arguments against doing so?
We have taken note of the adoption of Mr. Marty’s report by the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe.
The term “black lists” does not seem appropriate with regard to sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council or the Council of the European Union.
The sanctions mechanisms of the UN and of the European Union, which obey strict rules, are vital elements of our international action whether in the fight against al Qaeda, in proliferation crises (Iran, North Korea) or other crises in which embargo violations are sanctioned, and political behavior as well.
Given the nature of the activities concerned, decisions on listing or removing names are made on the basis of confidential information. In this context and in general, France is very much attached to procedural guarantees. For that reason France, along with the United States, was at the origin of resolution 1730 adopted by the Security Council in 2006 which allows sanctions-targeted individuals to check that an actual examination of their situation has been made.
With regard to the list drawn up by the Council of the European Union, a group of experts is responsible for examining any observations that may be sent in by individuals and groups that received notice they’ve been listed.
The Council may then take into consideration all or some of these observations by adopting, where applicable, among the member states unanimously, a decision to remove a name or other modification. Contrary to what the report adopted by the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe says, the procedure for six-monthly review has been carried out regularly and in accordance with the texts in force.
The mayor of Jerusalem announced he had obtained all the authorizations for the construction of nearly 2,500 homes in settlements in annexed East Jerusalem. (…) Do you have a reaction?
We repeat that settlement activity is one of the main obstacles to peace and that the parties renewed their commitment in Annapolis to respect the Roadmap
We deeply deplore the announcement that authorizations have been issued to build 2,500 homes in East Jerusalem. In the wake of the Annapolis and Paris conferences which were intended to lay the foundations for a viable Palestinian state, France again invites the Israeli authorities to refrain from any unilateral action which could prejudge the final status of Jerusalem and bring the process into question. It recalls the importance of a complete freeze on settlement activity as required by the Roadmap.
Mr. Kouchner said yesterday that Israel’s security must be accompanied with clear gestures to change the daily lives of the Palestinians but did he ask the Israeli defense minister to stop extra-judicial assassinations?
The minister reminded Mr. Barak of our positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In particular he expressed our conviction that there is no military solution to this conflict and that the best protection for Israel’s security is the existence of a free, viable and democratic Palestinian state.
Could you be more explicit in a general way about the joint contacts and efforts between France and Qatar on the Lebanese question? We see there are contacts between the two countries which are working for a solution in Lebanon but we’ve very little information about these contacts.
We’re having contacts with all the countries concerned about the Lebanese question, among them Qatar. The matter was discussed again yesterday at a meeting Mr. Kouchner had with the prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar. The two ministers reaffirmed their support for the Arab League plan and for Amr Moussa’s efforts.
(…)./.
Embassy of France, January 24, 2008