Statements made by the Ministry of Foreign and European Spokesperson (Paris, April 5, 2011)

Côte d’Ivoire
Haiti/ Preliminary results of the 2nd round of the elections
Situation in Syria

Côte d’Ivoire

We’re where we are today because a number of appalling events have taken place in this African country over the last few months and years.

I think it’s important to reaffirm a number of things.

Firstly, I want to reaffirm that Laurent Gbagbo tried for a very long time, by dithering, by quibbling, by shying away from his obligations and his responsibilities, to indefinitely postpone the presidential elections which finally took place after numerous appeals by the international community last fall.

These elections were certified by the UN representative present in Côte d’Ivoire – they were then recognized by the United Nations, by the entire international community, and in particular by the African countries, notably the African Union.

Since then, Laurent Gbagbo has continuously refused to recognize these results and respect the will of the Ivorian people. As a result, he led his country into a situation of deadly chaos that has lasted for months.

France, together with all of its partners, the African countries within the African Union, and in particular the African countries within ECOWAS, continuously called, like everyone, for the election results to be respected.

Laurent Gbagbo ignored all of the appeals from the international community. He violated democracy; he did not respect the will that was freely and independently expressed by the Ivorian people and by the Ivorian voters during the presidential elections. This has notably led, over the last few months and in particular during the last few weeks, to an increasingly deteriorating humanitarian situation in this country and increased violation of the security of the civilian populations and human rights.

The entire international community has, over the last few weeks, repeatedly protested against this turmoil and urged Laurent Gbagbo to face the fact that he was leading his country into a situation of deadlock. These appeals weren’t heeded.

Given the deterioration and the continuing deterioration in the situation, we presented, with our Nigerian partners, a resolution to the UN Security Council last week. The UN Security Council expressed its opinion and adopted the draft resolution that we presented. It was unanimously adopted. This demonstrates the level of the international community’s cohesion and the strength of the appeals launched by the international community to Laurent Gbagbo.

Mr. Gbagbo did not want to heed this appeal by the Security Council. Consequently, and within the framework of UNSCR 1975, the UN called on UNOCI, the UN force present in Côte d’Ivoire - and I reaffirm that this force comprises 10,000 troops, professionals who are prepared and know the country since UNOCI has been in this country for several years – to take action to seize and neutralize the heavy weapons used by the Laurent Gbagbo’s remaining supporters. These heavy weapons constitute a deadly and permanent threat to the Ivorian civilian population.

I reaffirm that this is being done within the framework of UNSCR 1975. In these settings, the UN Secretary-General requested that France – President Sarkozy to be exact – lend the support of the French military mission Licorne, which operates under international UN mandate and under French national command, to UNOCI’s operations.

Yesterday, President Sarkozy decided to respond to Mr. Ban Ki-moon’s request. France’s intervention was an intervention to provide support to UNOCI. France’s intervention falls within the very strict legal framework of UNSCR 1975.

France’s intervention responds to a formal request by the UN Secretary-General.

France’s intervention doesn’t have any other objective than to help UNOCI neutralize the heavy weapons of Laurent Gbagbo’s remaining supporters who haven’t realized that things are changing for them.

France’s intervention will come to an end when UNOCI has accomplished this objective which was established for it by UNSCR 1975.

It was important to make this point and to give context to what is happening on the ground.

There’s another topic that I would now like to discuss with you: the security of the French community and also of a number of foreign nationals.

On this occasion, I would like to reiterate that in these extremely difficult circumstances – you will remember that our ambassador and his escort cars were fired upon by armed men barely a week ago in the streets of Abidjan – our embassy is mobilized to ensure the security of our compatriots.

In this respect, I would like to reaffirm a number of things. Firstly, we’ve been saying two things for a very long time now on the Quai d’Orsay’s “Travel Advice” website: we expressly advise against any travel to Côte d’Ivoire and we asked our compatriots there to leave the country if they were able to do so given the deterioration in the security situation.

Secondly, the security plan of the embassy in Côte d’Ivoire – this exists in all the other countries where we have a diplomatic representation and where there are communities of French nationals – under the leadership and responsibility of our ambassador was immediately implemented as soon as the security risk increased in Abidjan. This meant firstly that messages were issued directly to our compatriots. I reaffirm that we have a community of around 10,000 to 11,000 people in Abidjan. This number includes a very high number of people with dual nationality – between 7,000 and 8,000 people.

As a precaution and also to avoid unnecessary journeys by children on the streets of Abidjan, we also closed the lycée and the French schools in Abidjan by bringing the Easter vacation forward.

Over the last few days, we have received at the military base in Port-Bouet several hundred people who wished to be protected by the Licorne force. There are currently around 2,000 people in Port-Bouet including between 700 and 800 French nationals; the others are foreign nationals, including more than 600 Lebanese nationals.

The most recent decision that we took on President Sarkozy’s express instructions on Sunday evening was to establish two other secure gathering points for our compatriots who wanted to be protected by French soldiers. Our embassy premises and a hotel in the south of Abidjan – the Wafou Hotel. Our compatriots are able to go to a secure location, where we have made arrangements to receive them.

Lastly, I would like just to reaffirm that yesterday afternoon, at the Novotel Hotel, a group of heavily armed men broke in using force and captured 4 or 5 foreign nationals. We confirm that two French nationals were among those captured by this armed group. We are mobilized to establish where they are, who is holding them, and what their situation is so that we can find them and swiftly secure their release. Our two compatriots are now at the heart of our mobilization, whether at the embassy or with respect to our Licorne military colleagues.

This is the information that I wanted to share with you on the current situation in Côte d’Ivoire. A few additional details on the communication plan: I want to remind you that this afternoon there will be a hearing, at the National Assembly, of Ministers Alain Juppé and Gérard Longuet which will be open to the press and devoted specifically to the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. It will follow the current issues session at the National Assembly.

Q - As a result of the exchange of letters between the UN Secretary-General and President Sarkozy, how many French soldiers were sent to reinforce UNOCI’s forces? Will this contingent be increased if there is any increase in violence?

These are questions that should be posed to the Ministry of Defense. I understand that in recent days the Licorne force was reinforced by a few hundred soldiers and now has 1,650 troops.

Let me say it again, a single objective – to help UNOCI neutralize the heavy weapons that Gbagbo’s camp still has.

Q - Will you evacuate the French nationals in Côte d’Ivoire?

We haven’t received any particular request for evacuation. The main thing that our compatriots have indicated to us is that they want to be in secure locations in Abidjan, under the protection of the French army; that’s what we’re doing. Regarding the evacuation, I reaffirm that thanks to the round-trip flights which allowed us to reinforce the Licorne troops, since these planes would then have returned empty to Abidjan, we suggested to our compatriots, particularly the hundreds that are in Port-Bouet, that they take these flights. In all, a limited number of people chose this option; around 200 to 250 people have used this available capacity in the last few days to fly to other capitals in neighboring countries.
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Haiti/ Preliminary results of the 2nd round of the elections

We have taken note of the announcement by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) of the preliminary results of the elections in Haiti, indicating that Michel Martelly has won the presidential ballot.

We commend the patience and maturity of the Haitian people, who, over the last few months, have clearly demonstrated their attachment to the electoral process and have just welcomed these results with a sense of calm.

The second round of the elections on March 20 was conducted in a satisfactory manner. We want to pay tribute to the work of the CEP, MINUSTAH and the national and international observers, including the OAS-CARICOM observation mission to which France actively contributed.

The electoral process must be completed in accordance with the electoral law, so that the final results can be announced on April 16.

The Haitian people have, over the last few months, clearly demonstrated their attachment to the electoral process, and as we observed yesterday, they welcomed these results with a sense of calm, which deserves to be underlined. This is a new chapter in Haiti’s history that should be written by the Haitians themselves; it’s a new beginning and France is determined to support them.

Situation in Syria

France condemns the violence that recently left a dozen people dead and injured others, notably in Douma and Erbin. It extends its sympathy to the victims and their families. It deplores the continued arrests.

France urges the Syrian authorities to immediately implement a reform program that will respond to the aspirations of the people.

Several committees have been established following the speech delivered by President Bashar al-Assad to the Syrian parliament. We expect their work to move swiftly towards the effective lifting of the state of emergency. We hope that the government that will be formed by the new prime minister will initiate a policy of ambitious reforms.

Releases have been made recently, notably of Suheir al-Atassi. France again calls for the release of all those detained for having participated in demonstrations, or as a result of their views or actions in defense of human rights.

It demands that Syria conduct a transparent and credible inquiry into the events of the last few days and that it guarantee journalists the freedom to conduct their work.

We expressed our expectations to Mrs. Chakkour, Syria’s Ambassador to France, during a meeting yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
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