…Lebanon
Statement by the President of the Republic on Lebanon
I welcome yesterday's adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1757 establishing a tribunal of an international character for Lebanon. This is an important decision for Lebanon and for all Lebanese. It is not the victory of one side over another, but that of justice over impunity.
The establishment of the Tribunal signals the beginning of a process which will allow all Lebanese to rejoin the path of reconciliation and unity. They should know that they will always be able to count on France, who will continue to commit over the long term to help Lebanon.
The Lebanese Parliament can still ratify this decision. The Lebanese have all asked for truth and justice so that past crimes do not remain unpunished.
Resolution 1757 adopted by the United Nations Security Council
Statement by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs – Paris, May 31, 2007
I welcome the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of UNSCR 1757 on the establishment of a tribunal of an international character for Lebanon. As the Lebanese government had requested it, the Council shouldered its responsibilities in the face of the institutional deadlock in which Lebanon found herself, a deadlock confirmed by the Lebanese government and the United Nations Secretary-General. This signals the will of the international community to reinforce Lebanon's stability.
Finally, the Commission of Inquiry into Rafiq Hariri's assassination can now calmly continue its work. We know that the tribunal will take over from it and that those responsible will be tried. As is the wish of all Lebanese on every side of the political spectrum and of all faiths, there will be no impunity.
Since one of the main obstacles has thus been lifted, it is our hope that the broader Lebanese national dialogue may be resumed. We are ready to contribute to it, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming election./.
Darfur/G8 foreign ministers’ meeting
– Statements made by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, during his joint press conference (excerpts) – Potsdam, 30 May 2007
(…)
THE MINISTER – The international community has done a huge amount. The UN, the NGOs have provided a lot of aid. We must applaud all this progress. But it’s not enough. And I proposed to our G8 friends today to keep going, not delay, and take initiatives in two areas.
The first initiative is political, the second concerns humanitarian aid. Political initiative: pressure must go on being exerted on the Khartoum government. It has signed agreements, it signed them with the United Nations, with the United Nations’ agencies, with its neighbours, lastly with Chad through the intermediary of Colonel Gadhafi’s Libya. But none of these are being applied, they’ve all remained dead letters. And during that time, many Sudanese have gone on suffering and dying. In the camps where the situation is a bit better, the humanitarian organizations are working. Outside the camps, no one is helping the isolated populations and they are being attacked by the Janjaweed. So, politically, we must make absolutely sure – and the general public in our countries must put pressure on political leaders – that things keep moving.
We have to do everything we can. We have to get the agreement of the Sudan government and that of the neighbouring countries. This is the political dimension, and it mustn't be abandoned, quite the contrary.
Exert political pressure, communicate with the general public, explain what we're doing. Why? To try and get the aid nearer the people who need it. The idea would be to devise, organize and try and establish these humanitarian corridors for this aid from the places closest to Darfur, from Chad or the Central African Republic. You know that aid is coming via Port Sudan, particularly from the WFP, and travels hundreds and hundreds of kilometres before reaching Darfur. Could there be a humanitarian air bridge for medicines, food? I believe it's possible. Is it possible to do more and ensure land access to a region 300 or 400 km away? This is very probably possible too. In no case are we talking about a military operation. It would be an operation with air protection and a humanitarian operation to secure access to the people in need. We must of course go through the UN and we're in close, permanent contact with Mr Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General. We have to work with the United Nations. The United Nations has two special envoys, Mr Jan Eliasson and Mr Selim Ahmed Selim. It's with them that we'll try to exert pressure.
Last thing, and this has been accepted by the whole G8 and other countries – for example, by a country with a lot of influence in the region, like China –, we want the broader contact group – broadened further to include, for instance, South Africa, Eritrea and others as well – to meet, perhaps at the end of June in France, and for it to exert constant pressure. This is what we're trying to do. I can't give you any guarantee at all that this will be successful. It's a risky endeavour. Our friends here have accepted this risk./.
G8 foreign ministers’ meeting
Press briefing given by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs (excerpts) – Potsdam, May 30, 2007
Q. – (on Darfur)
THE MINISTER – There’s an attempt, through the G8, not to remain passive and to try and get food supplies and humanitarian aid nearer to the people who need it. And this won’t be done with France alone. It’ll obviously be done through the agencies, through people willing to participate in it, the NGOs, and above all through the United Nations system. The problem is knowing whether reserves and communications can be installed in Chad or the Central African Republic, to be nearer Darfur.
Before this, efforts will focus on the contact group which hasn’t so far been fully playing its part, on its meeting in Paris, and then other meetings which will be followed up, as was the case in other conflicts, particularly in the Balkans.
I’m very pleased that the Chinese, who are playing a significant role in this matter, are with us. I’m pleased Russia is with us too. And then other countries such as Norway, Sweden, Britain too, in short, a lot of countries are ready to work alongside us, as we are alongside them, under the United Nations flag. There haven’t been any refusals or any dissent. The problem is how to ensure success and this isn’t a foregone conclusion. (…)./.
…Serbia
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (June 1, 2007)
We welcome the arrest of Zravko Tolimir, one of the most important war criminals sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, charged specifically with genocide for his responsibility in the Srebrenica massacres.
The arrest is an encouraging step towards bringing to justice all those charged who are still in hiding. We now expect all the authorities in the region, particularly in the Srpska Republika and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Serb government, to continue their efforts towards full cooperation with the ICTY to quickly find and deliver to The Hague the last of the accused, among them Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadiz.
Q: Is France is favor of reopening negotiations between Serbia and the European Union?
We are talking about the negotiation of a stabilization and association agreement between Serbia and the European Union.
We have taken note of the statements made the day before yesterday by Commissioner Oli Rehn on a resumption of negotiations soon. Such a decision falls within the competence of the European Commission, and we are satisfied that the commitments of the new Serb government have made resumption possible. This is a positive signal for Serbia whose key role in stability the region as a whole is known to everyone.
This signal must encourage Belgrade to cooperate with the ICTY—we remain very attached to this, and it will remain fundamental for deepening relations between the European Union and Serbia. The French government reaffirms its complete support to the action of the Tribunal and Ms Del Ponte in the search for war criminals.
…Global warming
Press briefing given by Foreign Ministry spokesperson (June 1, 2007)
Q: What’s France’s reaction to the proposals for the environment and global warming made by President Bush yesterday?
We have to look at things very closely. I don’t wish to react specifically to President Bush’s proposals. I want to make two points.
First, there’s the fact that the fight against global warming is one of our top diplomatic priorities. It was already this under President Chirac and continues to be so under President Sarkozy since, as you know, it’s one of the subjects he mentioned very soon after his election.
The second important element. As you know, the EU is a driving force in the action against global warming. At the last European Council, the EU took very important decisions in this area, especially regarding the development of noncarbon energy and of renewable energy sources. We are in the forefront in these issues. We are very committed on the European side to the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and preparation of what is called post Kyoto in 2012.
We will be assessing President Bush’s proposals on this basis.
What is important is that at the G8, all the partners, including of course the US, share the objective of fighting global warming. This is going to be one of the important issues at the summit, and we hope to be able to reach an agreement.
We know perfectly well that not all of the countries interested in this question are necessarily at the table G8. We are well aware that there’s the question of China, India and the developing countries, which is very important and which also has to be addressed. But it is essential for the G8 to set the example and for the G8 countries to show their determination in the fight against global warming.
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