France / China
North Korea / Missile launch
Poland / Auschwitz-Birkenau
Gaza
Can you confirm a Chinese newspaper report stating that several important French figures (notably Mr. Accoyer, Mr. Raffarin, Mr. Chirac and Mr. Giscard d’Estaing) would be visiting China in the coming weeks or months to help bring about a more relaxed relationship with Beijing?
While it is up to the personalities you just mentioned to confirm these visits, they are a normal part of the dialogue that we would like to continue and strengthen with China, notably on the major global challenges that we must help solve together. They are also part of our strategic partnership with China, which involves expanding contacts and visits by various actors who are active in French-Chinese relations.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday that the North Koreans’ intention to launch a missile, regardless of the objective, was an act of provocation that, according to the U.S., violates Security Council resolution 1718. What is France’s position?
We too call on North Korea once again to refrain from any gesture that might increase tensions and to comply with its international obligations.
France notes that under SCR 1695 and 1718, North Korea must refrain from all activities connected with ballistic missile programs. Such a launch would represent a violation of those resolutions.
As the technologies for launching satellites and ballistic missiles are the same, a space launch by North Korea would contribute to the development of its ballistic capabilities.
The Polish government and the director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum have just issued a call for help to all the EU countries in order to proceed with the restoration of the extermination camp. Is France planning to provide financial or other support for this initiative?
The chairman of the Auschwitz International Council, Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, backed by the Polish authorities, addressed all the EU heads of state and government, asking them to contribute to a €120 million fund needed to preserve the Auschwitz-Birkenau remembrance site, which the Polish government has essentially done up to now.
For the generations that will not have known the survivors and witnesses, the role of these institutions of remembrance will be even more crucial in the future than they are today. That’s true for Auschwitz-Birkenau, but also for other less well-known sites in Poland and Europe.
The preservation of Auschwitz is a fundamental part of the common European heritage. The EU must assume a major role in the duty to remember, with other international partners that are also prepared to do so.
We are very open to the request by the Auschwitz museum relayed by Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorski. Naturally, we are ready to respond to it, in concert with the Polish authorities and our other partners.
Discussions in Egypt on the lifting of the Gaza blockade have been suspended for two weeks and humanitarian aid is reaching Gaza in dribs and drabs. Israel is still prohibiting the entry of the materials needed for reconstruction, especially for hospitals and schools, let alone for the housing of displaced persons, who are living in conditions denounced by all the humanitarian organizations. What does France, which initiated these negotiations in Egypt following President Sarkozy’s two visits, plan to do? Are there any talks between France and Israel on the subject of the latter’s blockade of humanitarian aid?
The lifting of the Gaza blockade is fundamental to ending the crisis and consolidating the truce. We support the Egyptian efforts in this area along with those it is making on other tracks to resolve the Gaza crisis.
As the President of the Republic noted in Sharm el-Sheikh on March 2, Gaza cannot remain an open-air prison for long. That is why France is calling for the permanent opening of crossing points to permit the entry of humanitarian aid and merchandise and to allow inhabitants to enter and leave the territory.
As Bernard Kouchner has stated repeatedly, we are prepared to take part in a revival of the European EUBAM mission at the Rafah crossing. But all crossing points must now be kept open. We are also willing to play a role with respect to the other crossing points.
The EU and France are in direct contact with the Israeli authorities to convince them to open Gaza up for humanitarian aid.
You are aware of the willingness of French diplomats and of Bernard Kouchner in particular to take all the initiatives that could help unblock the situation.