Press briefing given by M. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs (excerpts)
Paris, 18 July 2008
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MIDDLE EAST
Q. – After the exchange of political prisoners between Israel and Hezbollah, do you get the impression there’s a new climate in the region, that things have started moving again? Moreover, do you think diplomatic relations can be established between Syria and Lebanon before President Sarkozy’s visit to Damascus? When will you be going there to prepare this visit?
THE MINISTER – Regarding the last part of your question, it will be before the end of September.
The first part of your question is obviously very interesting and very important.
Do I feel there’s a change of atmosphere? Yes. (…) The more positive prospects (…) [are] the hope of direct contacts between Syria and Israel, which is crucially important (…). As far as I know, they are genuinely envisaged in the near future. We’ve obviously talked to our Israeli friends about this and we’ve talked to the Syrians.
And then there’s this wind, breeze, of change between Syria and Lebanon: the scheduled exchange of ambassadors. (…) So, this is after all new, it’s the recognition of a Lebanese State and this is absolutely essential.
At the same time, if you draw a parallel between the dialogue which, thanks to Turkey, has begun between the two countries and the dialogue which, thanks to Egypt, is starting – and has led to a truce, which is almost being respected – between Hamas and the State of Israel, and if you think, as I do these days – I may be mistaken – that things aren’t going that badly between the Palestinians and Israelis, all this is quite something. (…)
IRELAND/EU
Q. – You’re soon going to go to Ireland with President Sarkozy. I’d like to know what message, what arguments you’re going to take to the Irish to persuade them, first, to vote again on the Lisbon Treaty and, second, to vote "yes".
THE MINISTER – I don’t intend persuading them to vote again. There’s a very specific programme which is one of listening. We’re going to meet the politicians, a number of intellectuals, and the trade unions and we’re going to listen to them. President Sarkozy will be in charge of this French presidency visit and the intention isn’t to go at them hard, telling them what to do – moreover we wouldn’t have wanted people to do that to us two or three weeks after our own "no" in 2005. If immediately afterwards someone had come and told us what we had to do, I think it wouldn’t have gone down well, so we don’t intend doing it. Nevertheless, at some point, but certainly not during this visit, a choice is going to have to be made between the Lisbon Treaty and the Nice Treaty.
I don’t know if the deadline will come before or after the French presidency, or what proposals will come in the meantime so that perhaps – it’s one of the ideas going the rounds – there’s something in place for the European Parliament elections. All this is very hypothetical. The purpose of the visit to Ireland and the way it’s being organized is to listen to the Irish. (…)./.