DRC – Bombings in the Goma region
Lebanon/ Israel – Rocket attacks
Visit by Mr. Laurent Fabius to the Palestinian Territories and Israel (August 24 to 25)
DRC – Bombings in the Goma region
France condemns the resumption on August 21 of fighting near Goma, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It particularly condemns the attacks carried out by the M23 against the civilian populations and MONUSCO facilities, which constitute war crimes. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation, in cooperation with our UN Security Council partners.
France reaffirms its support for the UN mission (MONUSCO) whose primary mandate is to defend the civilian populations in this troubled region. We encourage MONUSCO to use all means made available to it by the Security Council in order to fulfill this mandate.
The M23 and all armed groups that perpetuate a climate of violence in the eastern part of the DRC must cease all violent action and lay down their weapons. France reaffirms the urgent need for all signatories to implement in good faith the commitments made under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.
Lebanon/ Israel – Rocket attacks
France condemns the firing of rockets yesterday from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory. It calls for restraint in order to prevent any possibility of escalation and for compliance with UNSCR 1701.
Visit by Mr. Laurent Fabius to the Palestinian Territories and Israel (August 24 to 25)
Mr. Laurent Fabius will conduct a visit to the Palestinian Territories and Israel from August 24 to 25.
In the Palestinian Territories, the minister of foreign affairs will meet with President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. He will also meet with representatives of Palestinian civil society.
In Israel, the minister will be received by President of the State of Israel Shimon Peres. He will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as Ms. Tzipi Livni, Minister of Justice, responsible for negotiations with the Palestinians, Mr. Yair Lapid, Finance Minister, Mr. Moshe Yaalon, Defense Minister, and Mr. Yuval Steinitz, Minister of Strategic and Intelligence Affairs responsible for International Relations. He will also meet with Ms. Shelly Yacimovich, leader of Israel's Labor Party.
This visit will provide an opportunity for the minister to encourage his Palestinian and Israeli interlocutors to continue the direct peace negotiations that were resumed at the end of July. He will convey to them France’s determination to support these efforts and to encourage the conclusion of an agreement that will put an end to the conflict, in a climate of trust and dialogue.
The minister’s visit will also provide an opportunity to strengthen and deepen bilateral relations with our partners, with whom we share particularly strong historical, cultural and human ties. The minster will reaffirm France’s full support for the development of the Palestinian Territories, notably for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. He will call for the deepening of relations with Israel, notably in the economic field.