Daily Press Briefing
Statements made by
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson
(excerpts)
(Paris, October 30, 2006)
[Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.]
IRAQ/FRANCE
At the invitation of President Chirac, His Excellency Jalal Talabani, President of the Republic of Iraq, will make an official visit to France on November 2 and 3.
On Thursday, November 2, at 4:30 p.m. he will be received by the president.
The same day he will have a meeting with the speaker of the National Assembly and will be the guest of honor at a dinner at the Quai d’Orsay hosted by Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy.
The president of the Republic of Iraq will also go to the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) and the Arab World Institute.
The president of the Republic of Iraq will be accompanied by his wife, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Industry and Mining Resources Minister Fawi al-Hariri, Education Minister Khudair al-Khuzaie, and Science and Technology Minister Raid Jahid Fahmi. The ministers will have meetings with members of the French government.
This official visit takes place in the context of the friendly relations established between France and Iraq, and the consultations that our two countries have on a regular basis. France received President Ghazi al-Yaouar of the Republic of Iraq from January 12- 15, 2005.
France intends through this visit to show its support to Iraq and to the reconstruction of political institutions and the national reconciliation efforts of the government and Iraqi parliament in the wake of the December 15, 2005 elections: cancellation over four years (2005-2008) of 80% of Iraq’s $5 billion debt in the context of the Paris Club; active cultural, scientific, technical and humanitarian cooperation policy (500 interns hosted in 2005) which is to continue; opening next year of an embassy office in Erbil (Kurdistan); participation in preparation of the international pact for Iraq.
(…)
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
We are pleased that despite a few isolated incidents the presidential and provincial elections held on Sunday, October 29, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo proceeded well. Through their sense of civicism and calm, the Congolese people once again showed, after the elections on July 30, their support for the electoral process and wish to build a future based on peace and democracy.
These elections culminate the work that had been pursued over several months by the Congolese people with the support of the international community. We welcome in particular the action of the Independent Electoral Commission and MONUC. We also renew our support to the International Committee in Support of the Transition (CIAT) and the European Union EUFOR force.
We call on all the Congolese parties and candidates now to respect the verdict at the polls and to banish any recourse to violence and act of intimidation so as to permit the electoral process to succeed in a spirit of peace and national reconciliation.
(…)
We learned with sadness of the crash of a Nigerian ADC airliner which occurred as it took off from Abuja on Sunday.
The accident claimed the lives of nearly a hundred people among whom were prominent political and religious figures, including the Sultan of Sokoto, the high moral and spiritual authority of Nigeria’s Muslim community. The Sultan was appreciated for his spirit of tolerance and dialogue.
We offer our sincere condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones. We extend our profound sympathy to the federal government and to Nigeria’s religious authorities. President Chirac sent a message of condolences yesterday to President Obasanjo and Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy sent a like message to his counterpart.
To our knowledge no French victim was reported in the wake of the crash of ADC flight 053.
Q - The new Serbian constitution was approved by referendum. What’s your reaction.?
We note that the voting proceeded calmly, including in Kosovo.
Serbia is hereby adopting a new fundamental document that breaks with the Milosevic era. The reforms must be continued to enable Serbia to resume its rightful place in the Western Balkans.
Cooperation with the ICTY and the settlement of the Kosovo issue are in this perspective the two challenges which the Serb people must now confront.
With regard to Kosovo, France’s position is well-known. We consider that the final settlement will have to take into account the realities and aspirations of the great majority of the population of Kosovo while preserving its multiethnic quality through a series of measures to ensure the protection of the Serb community.
Q - Mr. Solana said in Cairo that a Palestinian government of experts would be announced in a couple of days. Is this a European initiative presented by Mr. Solana? Do you have any more information ?
Mr. Solana had talks with Mahmoud Abbas during his trip to the Middle East. As Mr. Solana said after the meeting, the question of forming a government was discussed at the time. Mr. Abbas told him about his latest ideas on this matter. That’s what Mr. Solana reported during the Cairo leg. So it’s not a European initiative. Mr. Solana recalled, as we do, our support for Mahmoud Abbas’ efforts to break the current deadlock.
Q - The Israeli prime minister has said his government might decide on an “extensive operation” in the Gaza Strip in the next few days. Do you have any comment?
In a context in which everyone sees the gravity, we call on the parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid any initiative that might further complicate the search for a negotiated political solution and easing tensions on the ground.
Q - Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni announced that the UN has tasked an expert with marking the borders of Shebaa Farms so the area can be transferred to UN control. What’s your reaction.
We’ve no knowledge of the statements you ascribe to Ms Livni.
With regard to Shebaa Farms, I would remind you that under resolution 1701 it is up to the UN secretary-general to formulate proposals, on this issue particularly. In his interim report in September on the implementation of SCR 1701, Kofi Annan included among the possible approaches putting the Shebaa Farms area under UN supervision, once the borders are marked. We will pay close attention to any proposals by the secretary-general in his next report.
Q - Mr. Solana said after his visit to Beirut the situation in Lebanon wasn’t good. Might this observation have repercussions on Paris III? And about the aid the EU has pledged to help Lebanon’s reconstruction. What political and economic actions might the EU take to help Lebanon resolve this political and economic crisis?
The aim of the international conference in Paris in January 2007 is precisely to address the difficulties that Lebanon is currently experiencing.
The conference will mobilize international organizations, the European Union and its member states, and also other partners, in particular the countries in the region that have an important role to play.
Q - According to British sources, Israel reportedly used uranium-based weapons during the war in Lebanon. Any comment?
The use of weapons containing depleted uranium in the last conflict in Lebanon has not been confirmed at this time.
As you know, arms containing depleted uranium are conventional weapons and in any case are not in the family of nuclear weapons or radiological dispersion devices. They are not prohibited.
Nevertheless like all conventional weapons, their use is subject to the laws of armed conflicts, the principles of humanitarian international law and certain international instruments such as the 1949 Geneva Conventions protocols I and II.
Q - How do you assess the situation in Chad with continuing clashes between government troops and UFDD rebels? An opposition conference held Saturday and Sunday in Paris asked France not to support President Deby. What’s your reaction?
According to our information the clashes took place at the Sudan-Chad border between Chad’s national army and rebel groups following the raid on Am Timan last week.
France recalls, like the African Union, that it remains attached to compliance with Chad’s constitutional legality and its stability.
It invites Chad and Sudan to refrain from any hostile activity in accordance with the agreement they reached on July 26.
Deploring the loss of human life and the humanitarian consequences of these clashes, France renews its appeal to all the parties in the current conflicts for a political settlement. The Security Council held consultations on October 27 on the situation in the region. The secretary-general will shortly send a mission to Chad and the Central African Republic to evaluate the situation and examine the possibilities for improving security for the civilian population in the refugee and displaced persons’ camps. We will be closely following its work./.
Embassy of France, October 30, 2006