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Daily Press Briefing Statements made by [Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.]
RUSSIA/FRANCE
The seventh session of the Franco-Russian Cooperation Council on Security Issues (CCQS) will be held in Paris on March 11. Foreign and European Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner and Defense Minister Hervé Morin will receive their Russian counterparts, Sergey Lavrov and Anatoly Serdyukov.
They will discuss many current questions of common interest with regard to European and international security such as NATO-Russia and EU-Russia relations, the fight against terrorism, cooperation at the UN, the principal regional issues, in particular Afghanistan, the Middle East, Kosovo, Chad and Darfur.
On the sidelines of the CCQS, the minister will have a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart on the upcoming French presidency of the European Union, and certain bilateral matters, including economic and cultural cooperation.
The 27th Salon du Livre de Paris, under the auspices of the Syndicat National de l’Edition, will be held at the Porte de Versailles from March 14 to 19. It will feature Israel as guest of honor. Forty Israeli writers, invited by the French and Israeli Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture, will take part in meetings and discussions.
Q - What’s the situation in Anjouan? Is the French army taking African troops to Mohéli as announced?
We have indeed announced we stand ready to assist with the transport of Tanzanian soldiers to the Comoros (Grande Comore or Mohéli). Our African interlocutors have told us the operation could take place fairly soon
Q - What do you expect from cooperation with Spain on the bilateral and international, especially European, levels now that Rodriguez Zapatero has been re-elected?
President Sarkozy has congratulated José Luis Zapatero on his victory in the elections. We would like to deepen further the exemplary cooperation we have in many bilateral and European areas. We will be continuing our close cooperation, especially in the context of preparation for the upcoming French presidency of the European Union.
COLOMBIA/VENEZUELA/ECUADOR/HOSTAGES
Q - Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador have declared an end to the crisis. What are the next steps for France in the matter of the hostages?
Our priority is to see a humanitarian solution being reached and leading to the release of all the hostages without delay, including Ingrid Betancourt “who is at risk of dying now,” President Sarkozy said on Colombia RCN radio on March 5. We support all efforts to obtain the hostages’ release.
(…)
Q - The Israeli prime minister gave the green light Sunday to building 750 homes in the West Bank settlement of Givat Zeev. Is a measure like this consistent with the spirit of the peace negotiations?
You know our position: France condemns the continuation of settlements which threatens the viability of the future Palestinian state.
In general we invite the Israeli authorities to refrain from any unilateral action that might prejudge the final status of the Palestinian Territories and jeopardize the peace process.
Q - How do you assess the Egyptian mediation between Israel and Hamas on getting a truce?
France supports everything to help calm tensions between Israelis and Palestinians so a peace agreement can be reached before the end of the year.
Q - After the death of a French soldier with EUFOR in Sudan, four nomads were killed by his grenade when they went to move the body. Your reaction?
We deplore everything that happened, particularly the deaths of the four nomads. The circumstances of their deaths however remain to be clarified.
Q - The Lebanese parliamentary session to elect a president was postponed for the 16th time. Do you have any comment?
We regret this further postponement. It is urgent there should be a president of Lebanon as the minister said on March 7, and France continues to support the Arab League plan./.
Embassy of France, March 10, 2008
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