Daily Press Briefing
Statements made by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
(excerpts)
(Paris, March 7, 2006)
[Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.]
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Minister’s meeting with Ms Ebadi
Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will receive Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2003, for a working luncheon on March 8, 2006, which is International Women’s Day. Before that Ms Ebadi will attend the conference organized by European Affairs Minister Delegate Catherine Colonna, one of the events that day.
Ms Ebadi is a symbol of the defense of women’s rights, the rights of the child and freedom of opinion and expression in Iran. She symbolizes more generally the action of human rights defenders the world over, which we support.
May I remind you that the Human Rights Defense Center, led by Ms Ebadi, was co-laureate in 2003 of the Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
Women and Development
In the context of International Women’s Day, Brigitte Girardin, Minister Delegate for Cooperation, Development and Francophony, is organizing conferences and debates on the women’s contribution to development. The honorary president of these meetings will be Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, the first woman to be elected chief of state in Africa.
(…)
A series of round tables is to be held, dealing with gender equality as a tool for development on the themes of: Women and Development, Women and Health, and Women and Business. It is really essential to promote the place of women at the center of development, of the fight against poverty, and of economic growth in the developing countries.
(…)
The Sudan Consortium, an advisory group led by the World Bank and United Nations, tasked with the follow-up of the donors’ conference for Sudan in Oslo in April 2005, will meet in Paris on March 9 and 10 at World Bank headquarters.
The purpose of the conference is to ensure coordination of international contributions to Sudan’s reconstruction. In Oslo donors committed to provide $4.5 billion over two years to assist in the implementation of the Nairobi peace plan signed on January 9, 2005 between the Sudanese government and the rebellion in the south, the SPLM led by John Garang.
The Sudanese delegation, led by Salva Kiir, First Vice President of Sudan and President of South Sudan, comprises four ministers from the national unity government (finance, foreign affairs, cooperation and humanitarian affairs) and several ministers from the South Sudan government, including Rebecca Garang, John Garang’s widow. Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will meet with the delegation on March 9 at 8:30 a.m.
That same day Brigitte Girardin, Minister Delegate for Cooperation, Development and Francophony, will chair on behalf of France the opening session of the Consortium (…)
In April 2005 France announced in Oslo a bilateral contribution of 35 million euros for 2005-2007. In addition the French share of European Union aid for Sudan amounts to about 120 million euros in the same period.
We condemn the practice of extra-judicial executions which contravenes international law, and the operation in Gaza which led to the deaths of three young Palestinians. We call on Israel to end this type of operation in the Palestinian Territories. They only strengthen the most radical elements in Palestinian society at a time when a chance has to be given to the supporters of a negotiated solution.
Q - Have you mentioned President Chirac’s speech yesterday, saying he was opposed to sanctions against Hamas? Is that a shift in French policy or still in line with it? How should one interpret the remark?
The idea isn’t to consider sanctions at this stage. What the president repeated, and said in his interview to al-Hayat, is that as far as European and French aid is concerned, there’s no question of punishing the Palestinian people by cutting this aid off. Next, there’s the matter of the aid which goes to the Palestinian Authority. The president said a decision would be made depending on the commitments made by the new Palestinian government and its stance on the three principles, which you know perfectly well, which the president recalled. That’s the French thinking. The point is not to punish the Palestinian people for their vote. Nor is it to descend into chaos in terms of the economy and security.
Q - What is the idea? To wait for the formation of the new Palestinian government and see how it’s going to evolve?
The idea is indeed to see how the new government is established. I think some time is going to elapse before this government is actually installed. This is the line taken by the European Union at the last general affairs/external relations council, which is to support the Palestinian Authority during this transitional phase. That’s why there was the decision to unblock the 120 million euros which were in the pipeline, but it was decided to accelerate the disbursement and then see how the new government is going to position itself in regard to the three principles that have been laid down.
Q - So you’re allowing time?
Time linked to the formation of the new government.
Q - Aside from the three conditions that have become principles, given that France is legalistic and is strongly committed to the Security Council, shouldn’t the two sides, Palestinian and Israeli, be asked to implement the Security Council resolutions? Shouldn’t there be a return to international legality to push the two sides to sit around a table instead of setting conditions on one side and the other? (…)
There are two aspects: there is international legality to which we are very committed as we’ve repeatedly said. There’s also the need to bring about the conditions for a negotiated solution, which presupposes gestures from both sides. The necessary gestures on the Palestinian side are obviously the renunciation of violence and recognition of the other, without which there can be no negotiation. On the Israeli side, as President Chirac has also said, there is a need to go beyond the logic of outright unilateralism and recognize that there is a partner opposite and that the solution has to be found in negotiation with this partner. So our language on this point is perfectly balanced and takes international legality into consideration.
Q - Is France having contacts with Hamas?
We’ve already said. There are no contacts between France and Hamas for the reasons you know and having to do with the principles you know.
Q - Can you confirm the meeting which reportedly took place last week between the Russian negotiators and the representatives of the European Union on the nuclear question? Could you comment on what was discussed?
There are frequent contacts with Mr. Kisliak who’s handling the Iranian dossier at the Russian Foreign Ministry. We also have frequent contacts with the Americans and with Mr. Burns in particular as he’s following the question at the State Department.
As to what was said at the meeting, it was confidential so it’s not for me to reveal the details. But Mr. Kisliak briefed the Europeans on the contacts the Russians have had with the Iranians, and on their wish to pursue these contacts to reach a solution. The main lines of the Russian proposal are known as are also the points on which difficulties exist.
Q - … Mr. Kisliak reportedly proposed a moratorium and the possibility for the Iranians of having a limited capacity for research on nuclear enrichment. Can you confirm that?
(…) It’s not my place to comment on these talks. I can give you our position on the points you mentioned. Our position is perfectly clear. It is stated in the IAEA board of governors’ resolution of February 4 and was also very clearly reaffirmed by the foreign minister after the meeting in Vienna.
On the French, and European, side, we are asking for a return to the full suspension of enrichment-related activities and reprocessing, including research and development.
That’s the French position and the position of the three Europeans. Moreover, as you know, contacts are continuing in Vienna. It’s not known exactly when the board will deal with the Iranian question, in the afternoon or tomorrow. The February 4 resolution provides for a report to the Security Council. The report to the Security Council will therefore be presented by the IAEA, as indicated on February 4.
(…)
Q - Was France informed of this Russian proposal?
It’s not for me to confirm the existence of a Russia proposal or not. I’m simply saying we have frequent contacts with our Russian partners, particularly with Mr. Kisliak whom you mentioned. So we’re having contacts, and the Russians tell us about their positions and their talks with the Iranians.
Q - So you were aware?
We are aware of developments in talks between the Russians and Iranians.
Q - Including this new formula, or formula b?
We know what the talks turn on. It’s been said by various sources. We know there’s the question of research and development. We know there’s this question of the moratorium and the additional protocol. What I gave you is our position on these various points.
Q - You forgot the centrifuges.
That’s somewhat related to the first point, to research and development. Remember also, this is an important aspect to recall, what the president said very clearly in his interview with al- Hayat, that for us the door remains open for talks. The hand is still proffered. We’re open to a solution, that’s what the president said. The fact that there may be a report to the Security Council doesn’t mean that we’re ending diplomatic efforts. But the solution has to respect a number of principles, which I’ve given you, not principles France has set but set by the international community, by the IAEA board of governors.
Q - So you’re open to a solution but on your terms?
We are open to a solution which meets the two desired objectives.
The Iranian objective is to acquire a civilian nuclear program, which we entirely agree with. What’s important for the Iranians is access to civilian nuclear cooperation with foreign countries. We’ve said and reiterated that we were in favor of that.
The second is the objective of the international community, having conditions of confidence in the implementation of this cooperation. That’s what we’re working on to obtain guarantees from Iran./.
Embassy of France, March 7, 2006