Meeting between Michèle Alliot-Marie and Salomé Zourabichvili, Coordinator of the Panel of Experts
Bahrain
Burma
Meeting between Michèle Alliot-Marie and Salomé Zourabichvili, Coordinator of the Panel of Experts
The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Mrs. Michèle Alliot-Marie, met with Mrs. Salomé Zourabichvili, Coordinator of the Panel of Experts assisting the UN Security Council’s Iran Sanctions Committee, on Thursday 17 February. Mrs. Zourabichvili is on assignment in France. She also had meetings at the Elysée Palace and with several French companies.
The panel on Iran established by Security Council resolution 1929 aims to strengthen the monitoring and effective implementation of the sanctions adopted by the Council. The panel began its activities at the end of November and is conducting four main activities: investigating violations of the resolution; analyzing the national implementation reports; drawing up recommendations for improving the system; educating States.
You know France’s commitment with respect to combating proliferation. Mrs. Zourabichvili’s visit provided an opportunity to confirm this commitment and our support for the panel as well as for the fulfillment of its mission.
Regarding Bahrain, with respect to security, France has trained some of the royal guard and anti-riot police units. Given the current situation, will this cooperation continue? Furthermore, it seems that the King of Bahrain has just acquired a private mansion in agreement with the Ministry of Culture.
Regarding the private mansion, I don’t have any information.
Regarding the supply of equipment, the export of this equipment depends on the authorization issued by the authorities. In this instance, these authorizations were suspended yesterday. This cooperation goes back several years. The events of the last few days in Bahrain provided us with the opportunity to reaffirm that we expect the Bahraini authorities to translate the commitments they’ve into reality. […]
In addition, regarding the cooperation agreement with respect to domestic security and civil protection signed in November 2007 between France and Bahrain, this text has not yet entered into force since it hasn’t been approved by the Bahraini party.
Has police and military cooperation been suspended?
No, the suspension only relates to the supply of equipment. If a country wants to buy equipment and materials it contacts a company or enterprise that produces them. The company takes a commercial approach and signs contracts. Export authorizations are then issued by the government, the State. All authorizations of this type have been suspended.
[…]
Does this suspension apply to all countries or just to Bahrain?
As far as I know, it applies to Bahrain and Libya. I would have to check with regard to the other countries.
France is monitoring changes in the situation in Burma very closely. We have taken note of the threats issued through the pro-government press against Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy. This is a very worrying sign. Such intimidation is unacceptable. We urge the Burmese authorities to denounce it, to guarantee the security of Aung San Suu Kyi and the members of the NLD, and to respect their freedom of expression.
Such statements do not encourage the establishment of a dialogue with all democratic forces which we are calling for, and which is essential to the achievement of national reconciliation. There can be no democracy without freedom of expression and association. More than 2,000 members of the opposition are still being detained in Burma on political grounds. France again calls for their release.