The Daily Press Briefing

Statements made by
the Ministry for Europe
and Foreign Affairs
Spokesperson


Paris - February 4, 2019
In this issue:

◢  Israel / Palestinian Territories – Non-renewal of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (January 28, 2019)

◢  Normandy Format

◢  Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

 
Israel / Palestinian Territories – Non-renewal of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (January 28, 2019)

Israel announced that the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) would not be renewed. Established in 1997 in line with UN Security Council Resolution 904 (1994) and the Oslo II Accord (1995), this civilian observer mission played in important role in overseeing compliance with those agreements, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law.

This decision could potentially heighten tensions on the ground in an already precarious security context in Hebron, while Israel pursues its settlement policy in the city and in the rest of the West Bank and Jerusalem. France regrets this decision and calls on Israel to reexamine it.

It invites both parties to revive a credible political process to implement to the two-state solution, which alone can ensure a just and lasting solution to the conflict—one that fulfils the aspirations of both peoples.

France pays tribute to the men and women who served on the TIPH over the past 22 years, in often difficult conditions. Two of them lost their lives in the course of carrying out their duties.



Normandy Format

According to the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, representatives of Normandy Format countries will meet in Paris in the coming weeks. Can you confirm this? What is the date of that meeting?

The next Normandy Format meeting will be announced in due course.



Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

In response to the U.S. withdrawal, Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia is suspending its participation in the INF treaty. Can you comment on that decision?

I refer you to my statement of this past Friday.


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