Statement by Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs – 22nd anniversary of Mr. Nelson Mandela’s visit to Paris
Meeting between Mr. Laurent Fabius and Mr. Yaakov Amidror, head of Israel’s National Security Council (Paris, June 6)
Qatar – Visit by the prime minister and foreign minister (Paris, June 7)
Lebanon – Syrian infringement of the territory
Israel – Announcement of new settlement activity
Syria – Paris Conference
Statement by Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs – 22nd anniversary of Mr. Nelson Mandela’s visit to Paris
On June 7, 1990, France welcomed Nelson Mandela.
I remember the extent to which the French people were moved when they welcomed to Paris the man who had been released 2 years earlier after more than 27 years in chains.
The symbol of a nation’s pride, the symbol of resistance to racism and the contemptible apartheid regime, Nelson Mandela was able to experience France’s empathy with and commitment to his ceaseless fight for freedom, human rights and dignity.
One year after the abolition of apartheid, driven by the strength of his convictions and his commitment, this relentless fighter for freedom and equal rights tirelessly continued to pursue the same goals: the reconciliation of his people, South Africa’s reintegration into the African family and the community of nations, the establishment of a democracy and a destiny that had been rediscovered.
22 years after this historic visit, which was reciprocated by President Mitterrand’s visit to South Africa in 1994, our attachment to and respect for Nelson Mandela have not wavered. They’ve been strengthened by a new responsibility; the responsibility to remain faithful to the values to which this extraordinary personality devoted his life. Bolstered by this shared awareness, the French and the South Africans must work together in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
This is the goal that drives us on this anniversary, which is all the more meaningful to me given that the fight against apartheid was one of my first enduring commitments.
Meeting between Mr. Laurent Fabius and Mr. Yaakov Amidror, head of Israel’s National Security Council (Paris, June 6)
The head of Israel’s National Security Council, Mr. Yaakov Amidror, was received yesterday by the minister of foreign affairs. This meeting made it possible to underscore the quality of Franco-Israeli bilateral relations and to address the major current international issues.
The minister notably stressed to Mr. Amidror France’s commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its unswerving determination with respect to the Iranian nuclear issue – issues regarding which we are engaged in continuous dialogue with Israel.
Qatar – Visit by the prime minister and foreign minister (Paris, June 7)
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, is visiting Paris today. On this occasion, he will meet with President Hollande and the minister of foreign affairs.
This visit, which is the first by a Qatari leader since President Hollande’s inauguration and the appointment of the government, will provide an opportunity to continue the close cooperation between France and Qatar with respect to regional issues, particularly Syria, and to exchange views on bilateral issues within the framework of the privileged relations based on friendship and trust between France and Qatar.
Lebanon – Syrian infringement of the territory
France utterly condemns the latest Syrian aggression against Lebanese territory, which killed a Lebanese person and injured 2 others.
It calls for the respect of Lebanese sovereignty and commends the deployment of the Lebanese army to Ersal, making it possible to restore calm.
Israel – Announcement of new settlement activity
We condemn the announcements made yesterday by the Israeli prime minister and minister for housing relating to the construction of several hundred new homes in the settlements of the West Bank, some of them located far from the 1967 lines, at a time when it’s essential, above all, to avoid provocations and to renew the dialogue between the parties.
We urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from implementing these announcements. We reaffirm that settlement activity is illegal under international law, undermines, on the ground, the foundations of the two-State solution and constitutes an obstacle to peace.
Given the troubling deterioration of the situation in Syria, and as President Hollande announced, France has decided to hold in Paris on July 6 the third ministerial meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People group, following those held in Tunis and Istanbul.
This meeting, which Mr. Laurent Fabius presented yesterday in Istanbul, was welcomed and called for by his counterparts present at the emergency meeting organized by Turkey, in which the foreign minister participated together with U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, the Qatari prime minister and the Turkish, British, German, Italian, Moroccan, Tunisian, United Arab Emirate, Jordanian and Saudi Arabian foreign ministers, as well as the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, and the Spanish and Kuwaiti representatives.
The meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People group will mobilize all States and organizations willing to lend their support to the Syrian people while the humanitarian and security situations are deteriorating and the crackdown is continuing.
This meeting, in which the Syrian opposition will have a place, falls within the framework of the efforts by the international community to effectively implement the 6-point plan of the Joint Special Envoy, Kofi Annan, aimed at ensuring a democratic transition that will respond to the aspirations of the Syrian people.