Iran / Attack in Zahedan
Major Economies Forum meeting in Paris
France / Egypt
North Korea
Iran / Attack in Zahedan
France utterly condemns yesterday’s attack in Zahedan which killed more than 20 people and left dozens injured.
In these tragic circumstances, France extends its profound sympathy and condolences to the bereaved, as well as to the Iranian government and people.
Major Economies Forum meeting in Paris
The 2 nd meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate was held in Paris on May 25 and 26, under the co-chairmanship of France and the United States, to prepare for the Summit of Heads of State and Government which will take place next July alongside the G8 Summit in L’Aquila.
This forum brings together the 17 biggest emitters of greenhouse gases that account for 80% of emissions: the G8 countries, South Africa, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Australia, the Republic of Korea and Indonesia. The United Nations, through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the EU (represented in Paris by the Czech Presidency, the future Swedish Presidency and the Commission) and Denmark, president of the conference in Copenhagen next December, also took part in the discussions.
The aim of this forum is to tackle, within the framework of a limited group of countries, certain key issues with regard to international negotiations on climate change in order to establish the points of convergence necessary to achieving a substantial agreement in Copenhagen within the framework of the United Nations, and to determine long-term courses of action and strategies for cooperation.
The participants worked on the goals for reducing emissions, the courses of action tailored to the different countries, the funding of climate protection and international technology cooperation.
The meeting’s conclusions reaffirm the significant role that the major economies play with regard to climate protection. With regard to the goals for reducing emissions, the meeting made it possible to identify the key points of the negotiations: benchmark years, “peak” year, reduction trajectories, low carbon strategies for developing countries and medium and long-term objectives.
The discussions also resulted in significant progress with regard to the role of technology and with regard to funding, based, in particular, on Mexico’s proposal to create a “Green Fund.”
France / Egypt – Meeting between Bernard Kouchner and Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister (May 28)
The meeting which took place yesterday between the minister and his Egyptian counterpart forms part of our close political dialogue with the Egyptian authorities. We are in regular and close contact with them. As we reminded you on Wednesday, the French President and President Mubarak have met four times since the start of this year.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the situation in the Middle East, while Ahmed Aboul Gheit was returning from Washington and Egypt is preparing to welcome President Obama on June 4. The two ministers were able, once again, to recognize that there many points of convergence within the French and Egyptian positions with regard to the resumption of negotiations to allow the creation of a viable and independent Palestinian State alongside Israel.
The ministers also shared their analyses of the forthcoming elections in Lebanon, reaffirming their support for the stability, unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Lebanon.
The Egyptian minister spoke of the candidacy of Farouk Hosny to the post of Director General of UNESCO.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to announce that the activities of the Union for the Mediterranean, with the Egyptian co-presidency, would resume on a technical level, and to consider potential methods of restarting the process. The organization of a meeting on sustainable development at the end of June in Paris is a priority for us.
With regard to the invitation that Egypt and France will issue for a ministerial conference on sustainable development, to be held in Paris on June 25, within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean, is this invitation dependent on the agreement of the rest of the country members of the Union to resume the meetings?
Following the dinner that took place yesterday, the invitations for this sectoral meeting will most likely be issued very soon.
With regard to the Egyptian candidacy to UNESCO, does the candidacy of Benita Ferrero-Waldner, that became official yesterday, rob the Egyptian candidate of European support?
The list of candidates has not been finalized. It will be finalized on Sunday. To date, eight candidates have been officially announced, including Farouk Hosny and Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The election will take place at the end of September.
Let us allow the candidacy process to continue since there are still 48 hours to go. Let us then allow each candidate to express his opinions and present his plans.
Bernard Kouchner told his Egyptian counterpart that he had taken note of the comments by the Egyptian Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosny, in “Le Monde” on Wednesday, May 27, that demonstrated the strength of his support for UNESCO’s values.
The election will take place in the fall and we do not usually announce our choice of candidate in advance.
The two ministers discussed Lebanon. Can you tell us if there are any points of convergence between Paris and Cairo? Can you provide any details?
Bernard Kouchner and his Egyptian counterpart did in fact discuss the situation in Lebanon, and both reaffirmed their support for the stability, unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Lebanon.
Will the Egyptian government recognize the election results in Lebanon if the opposition wins and is it ready to show greater openness with regard to the election results?
It is up to the Egyptian authorities to give you an answer to this question.
I would like to ask you about the nuclear crisis in North Korea. Where do we stand with regard to negotiations and sanctions? What does France expect North Korea’s neighbors to do to help resolve this crisis?
France condemns North Korea’s repeated provocations. We are engaged in consultations with our UN Security Council partners. We are thoroughly attached to the implementation of previous resolutions, but also to the possibility of adopting new sanctions. I hope we will be able to do so swiftly.
As for our wishes concerning North Korea’s neighbors, the international community and the countries themselves share the same wishes: that the crisis doesn’t escalate further, that North Korea respect the international community’s decisions and respect its own commitments. Along with the work in the Security Council, there must be a return to six-party talks. The two dynamics are complementary. I think the countries in the region are well aware of the risk represented by the continued escalation engaged in by North Korea, even more obviously in recent days.
I really have the feeling that talks in the Security Council and, more broadly, within the international community, are on the same track: refusing to allow North Korea have both military nuclear capabilities and ballistic capabilities, with the risk that combination entails.
How do you see China’s role in this process?
China ’s condemnation of North Korea’s repeated provocations is a very important message sent not only to North Korea but to the entire world on the global responsibilities that China wants to shoulder, and we welcome that. Discussions among Security Council members, and particularly among the permanent members, are on the right track, and we warmly welcomed the position expressed by China.