Situation in Syria/ Crackdown and torture
Egypt/ Gaza
Germany/ Nuclear energy
Situation in Syria/ Crackdown and torture
France utterly condemns the indiscriminate and brutal violence still being perpetrated by the Syrian security services and which has left at least 20 people dead in recent days, notably in Tell Bisseh and Rastan. France is appalled by the credible accounts of acts of torture in Syrian prisons perpetrated against peaceful demonstrators; Hamza al-Khatib has become a symbol of these demonstrators.
We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the Syrian authorities are held accountable. The stability of Syria and the region is dependent on swift political reforms that respond to the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people at the start of a political transition.
In the communiqué on Syria, what does “ensuring that the Syrian authorities are held accountable” mean?
It means that those responsible for this increasingly unrestrained use of force against the demonstrators in Syria must be held accountable; we’ve been saying this for a long time. It’s with this in mind that we’ve been working over the last few weeks in Brussels to ensure the adoption of several series of sanctions targeting a number of Syrian leaders and, just recently, the second list of Syrian personalities targeted by sanctions which includes President Assad. That’s also why we’re extremely mobilized at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. I highly recommend that you read the speech delivered by our permanent representative at the Council’s session in Geneva yesterday on this issue. That’s why, as the minister has reaffirmed on several occasions in recent days, we’re also continuing to work at the UN Security Council.
Have the sanctions that were adopted by the European Union come into effect at the national level?
Regarding the visa ban, this was immediately put into effect at the national level. Regarding the financial sanctions, the freezing of assets, etc. these sometimes take more time and come under the responsibility of the Ministry for the Economy and Finance.
While we wait for these sanctions to take effect are there measures to monitor the movement of funds between here and elsewhere?
Of course. Since publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, the governments concerned in the member countries of the European Union immediately got to work, whether at the national level or in coordination with the 27.
At the president’s most recent conference in Deauville, it was suggested that he endorsed President Obama’s statement regarding Mr. Assad, i.e. that either he implement reforms or he must leave. I wanted to know if, in your opinion, there’s a deadline for these reforms or is it a completely open deadline?
What we’re demanding is an immediate end to the violence. This leads us to reiterate our condemnations, to reiterate our principles. It leads us to continue the work that we’re carrying out with our European partners on the sanctions that have been adopted and to which we’ve contributed a great deal through the EU. It also leads us to continue our efforts at the Security Council. We talked about this again in Deauville a few days ago and I’d like to quote the Deauville Declaration. […]:
“We are appalled by the deaths of many peaceful protesters as a result of the sweeping use of violence in Syria as well as by repeated and serious violations of human rights. We call on the Syrian leadership to immediately stop using force and intimidation against the Syrian people and to respond to their legitimate demands for freedom of expression and universal rights and aspirations. We also call for the release of all political prisoners in Syria. Only the path of dialogue and fundamental reforms will lead to democracy, and thus to long-term security and prosperity in Syria. Should the Syrian authorities not heed this call, we will consider further measures. We are convinced that only by implementing meaningful reforms will a democratic Syria be able to play a positive role in the region.”
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Do you have any comment regarding the opening by Egypt of the Rafah crossing on a permanent basis?
This decision by Egypt goes in the right direction. We reaffirm the need to continue fighting against weapons smuggling in accordance with the provisions of UNSCR 1860.
Together with our European partners, we urge Israel to implement a fundamental change of policy with respect to the Gaza Strip, which requires strengthening the measures to ease the situation implemented since June 2010, notably through the liberalization of the conditions governing the movement of people and through the authorization to export all commercial goods. Alain Juppé’s visit to the Middle EastThe minister will leave Paris tomorrow around 12 pm; he will arrive in Rome around 2 pm where he will meet with Mahmoud Abbas. Then he will leave Rome for Tel-Aviv, arriving around 8:30 pm. He will have dinner with Avigdor Lieberman.On Thursday morning in Ramallah, he will meet with Salam Fayyad. He will go to the Franco-German Cultural Center and will meet with young Palestinians. He will meet with Benjamin Netanyahu. He will also visit the parents of Gilad Shalit and will have dinner with Israeli personalities.Why isn’t Alain Juppé going to Gaza?He will see all the parties and meet all the actors; that’s what’s important. This visit demonstrates France’s commitment to finding a solution to the problem. His main objective is to encourage all sides to resume dialogue, regardless of where the meetings take place.Yemen Do you have any new information regarding Yemen and the distinct deterioration in the situation in this country?Regarding Yemen, there are two topical issues.Firstly the disappearance our 3 compatriots. Yesterday evening, we indicated that the car in which they were travelling was found a few kilometers from the town where they were working and this car was found in perfect condition, which strengthens the theory that they’ve been kidnapped. We’ve been fully mobilized since Saturday and will continue to mobilize our efforts through contacts with the authorities concerned as well as with all those who may have been witnesses, and all those who might help with the search.Furthermore, here in Paris, we are in contact with the families of our 3 compatriots, with the NGO Triangle. Yesterday we met with the small number of French NGOs present in Yemen in order to reaffirm to them the vigilance and security recommendations and to ask them to revise their organizational and operational arrangements.In addition, and in general, we are very concerned given the situation in Yemen.In particular, we express our extreme shock given the tragic events that took place in Taiz, which apparently left more than 50 demonstrators dead and hundreds injured.We firmly condemn these very serious developments and the brutal use of force against the demonstrators in Freedom Square and urge the Yemeni authorities to uphold the commitments that have been reiterated many times at the highest level to protect the demonstrators and to guarantee civilian and political rights.This situation confirms the urgent need to reach a political settlement. We again urge the Yemeni president to sign without further delay the transition agreement drafted by the GCC, the only way to end the crisis and to ensure that he assumes his responsibilities towards his people.[…]Do you have any comment regarding Germany’s decision to abandon nuclear energy?
The energy policy choices of a State are inherently sovereign choices that don’t require any comment. In this respect, the decision, announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel, to definitively withdraw from nuclear energy by 2022, is entirely up to Germany.
This decision doesn’t in any way undermine our close cooperation on energy issues, notably with respect to the recognition of climate imperatives and the EU’s security of energy supply.
The German decision doesn’t have any impact on France’s attachment to its civilian nuclear program, which has notably enabled it to respond to increasing demand for energy at the same time as reducing its energy bill. France also leads the way with respect to researching and developing alternative energy sources.
As President Sarkozy reaffirmed at the recent G8 Summit in Deauville, France is committed to strengthening nuclear safety. The safety of power plants is a priority for our country, as it is for the EU; all EU members have agreed to subject their facilities to stress tests in the next few months.
I also want to remind you that the G8 Summit in Deauville allowed us to express the international community’s wholehearted solidarity with Japan following the Fukushima tragedy. France proposed establishing a specialized rapid response force in the event of another accident and we support Japan’s proposal to host a summit on nuclear safety at the end of 2012.
The IAEA will hold an international ministerial conference on nuclear safety in Vienna from June 20 to 24.
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