Madagascar
Ecuador / Situation of the Perenco Company
Mauritania
Madagascar
A man was killed in Antananarivo during the night of July 18-19 by an explosive device while he was preparing an attack.
France condemns all use of violence in Madagascar and hopes that light will be shed on this case.
We call on the various Madagascan political stakeholders to resume their dialogue so that a consensus solution may be found that makes it possible to hold elections as swiftly as possible.
The international community has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to shepherd such an inclusive process in order to end the crisis. To this end, France hails the African Union initiative bringing together the International Contact Group on July 22 in Addis Ababa. It will attend this meeting as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Ecuador / Situation of the Perenco Company
We have learned of the Ecuadorian authorities’ decision to take control of the Perenco oil fields, in the wake of their dispute with the Franco-British company, and regret that they have not implemented the provisional measures decided on by the arbitration tribunal on May 8, 2009.
This dispute, which concerns alleged unpaid taxes, was submitted to international arbitration in accordance with our 1994 bilateral agreement on the reciprocal encouragement and protection of investments.
The Quito authorities’ decision is not likely to attract foreign investment to Ecuador or create the business climate conducive to the development of economic and trade relations which France wishes to see.
As the Minister of State responsible for Foreign Trade wrote to the Ecuadorian Mines and Petroleum Minister on June 5, we are keen to see the dialogue resume between the Perenco oil group and the Ecuadorian authorities, and respect for the Franco-British company’s rights.
Do you recognize General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz as the new president of Mauritania? What do you think of the opposition’s accusations of fraud?
First of all, we welcome the fact that these elections took place in an atmosphere of calm. They were essential to opening the way for an end to the crisis in Mauritania. The first round took place the day before yesterday. We are awaiting the final results, which should be available in a few days.
According to initial information from the many independent observers on the ground, notably from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and the African Union, no major irregularities were seen. We are waiting for a complete report from the observers.
If the results are disputed, it must be done legally, by filing an appeal with the Constitutional Council.
Today we encourage all Mauritanian political stakeholders to engage in dialogue and to maintain a constructive approach. It is up to all the political forces to work together to bolster democracy in Mauritania.
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