Statements made by the Ministry of Foreign and European Spokesperson (Paris, December 29, 2011)
Burma – Fire and explosion in a suburb of Yangon
Israel – Continued settlement activity
Afghanistan
Syria
Burma – Fire and explosion in a suburb of Yangon
We were extremely shocked to learn of the fire and explosion that took place yesterday evening in a suburb of Yangon which, according to the latest information, have reportedly left 17 people dead and several dozen injured.
France expresses its solidarity with the bereaved as well as with the Burmese authorities and people.
Israel – Continued settlement activity
France is deeply concerned by the acceleration in provocative announcements and decisions relating to Israeli settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
It strongly condemns the decisions taken yesterday by the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem to authorize the construction of 130 new homes in the settlement of Gilo and a tourist complex in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem.
France also condemns the agreement concluded by the Israeli government to retroactively legalize the outpost of Ramat Gilad in the northern West Bank. All outposts must be dismantled, as Israel pledged to do so under the 2003 roadmap.
We reaffirm that all settlement activities are illegal under international law. As France and its European partners on the UN Security Council reaffirmed on December 20, the deliberate and systematic expansion of settlements threatens the two-State solution that is essential to ensuring the long-term security of Israel.
These projects must be abandoned in order to establish between the parties a climate of trust that is conducive to the resumption of direct negotiations.
Afghanistan
Q - There have been two attacks today against the Afghan police and ISAF, killing several people. Do you think that we’re making progress toward achieving the necessary stability in this country in preparation for the withdrawal of the international forces in 2014 and the resumption of security responsibilities by the local forces? Do you have any new information regarding the talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban?
France strongly condemns the two terrorist acts which today cost the lives of Afghan police officers and ISAF personnel.
As the Ministre d’Etat stated at the international conference in Bonn on Afghanistan, at the beginning of this month, we are mobilized, together with our partners in the international community, to prepare for the future of Afghanistan beyond 2014: to help the Afghan army, to encourage regional collective security, to support the Kabul government’s reconstruction efforts. France has, in this respect, submitted a draft friendship and cooperation treaty to its Afghan partners, confirming our long-term commitment alongside Afghanistan. These are the concrete priorities for the future of Afghanistan that we’re working on.
Terrorism is being fought by the Afghans with the help of the international community. It will not distract us from our commitments.
Syria
Q - The Arab observers are currently being deployed to Dara’a, Hama, Idleb and near to Damascus in the opposition strongholds. Do you have any more detailed information regarding the progress of their mission and what is your assessment of it, 48 hours after their arrival on Syrian soil?
Q - Regarding the head of the Arab League observer mission in Syria, Sudanese General Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, you said on Tuesday that you “had a few ideas about this gentleman.” Do you want to share these with us?
As we’re continuously saying, France fully supports the implementation of the four points of the Arab League’s plan to resolve the crisis which the Damascus regime claims to have accepted: