Daily press briefing by Ministry Deputy Spokesperson

Statements made by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Deputy Spokesperson (excerpts)

(Paris, 8 September 2008)

[Please note that only the original French text issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official. (http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr )]

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INFORMAL MEETING OF THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS

An informal Gymnich meeting of European foreign ministers was held in Avignon on 5 and 6 September. Attendees included Bernard Kouchner, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs; his counterparts from 25 EU member states; the Secretary-General of the Danish Foreign Ministry (the Foreign Minister being unable to attend); Javier Solana, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy; Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the Commissioner responsible for External Relations and the European Neighbourhood Policy; and Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Minister of State for European affairs.

The ministers of candidate countries (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Croatia and Turkey) as well as Olli Rehn, the Commissioner responsible for enlargement, attended some of the meetings on the morning of 6 September.

During the Friday session, the 27 discussed how the EU could strengthen political dialogue with the US in order to carry more weight in the resolution of regional crises (notably Afghanistan, Iran and the Middle East peace process) and to expand transatlantic coordination on major global challenges.

The 27 decided to develop a common document based on an initial text proposed by the Presidency that, for each of these issues, will present the EU’s diagnosis, point of view and objectives and its proposals for a more balanced, closer partnership with the US.

The ministers will be holding another informal meeting in the coming weeks to finalize this document and to convey it to the American administration and the two presidential candidates.

During this working session, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy presented his initial proposals to update the European Security Strategy, notably integrating energy security and the risks linked to climate change. The ministers worked together with a view to the adoption of an updated European Security Strategy at the European Council in December.

The 6 September session was devoted to EU efforts to resolve the Georgia conflict and the prospects for EU-Russia relations. The foreign ministers pledged to maintain European unity, deemed crucial, and - in the wake of the European Council on 1 September - to support the approach to be adopted by the President of the European Council and the Commission vis-à-vis Russia on 8 September to obtain the full implementation of commitments to withdraw Russian forces. They stressed that the EU must continue to shoulder its responsibilities in the resolution of this crisis; they notably reaffirmed their support, with a view to the Council for General Affairs and External Relations of 15 September, for the deployment of an autonomous monitoring mission that would take place within the framework of the ESDP, in addition to the strengthened OSCE mission, to which the European countries are contributing in a coordinated fashion. On the basis of the Commission’s preliminary work, presented by Ms Ferrero-Waldner, they discussed the conditions for providing effective aid for Georgian reconstruction.

The 27 also expressed their interest in the Turkish “platform of stability and cooperation for the Caucasus”, introduced by Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. On this occasion, he presented the historic visit that Turkish President Abdullah Gul made to Armenia on the evening of 6 September at the invitation of his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarkisian.

Finally, they expressed their wish for an international investigation into the Georgia conflict, to be made in a timely fashion.

During lunch, the ministers discussed strengthening the EU’s commitment to the Middle East peace process with a view, notably, to the Quartet meeting to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. They agreed on the need for the EU to play an active role in the coming months to maintain the dynamic created by the Annapolis process.

(…)

INDIA/NUCLEAR

Q. - Now that the nuclear supplier group has approved an exception to its rules to allow its members to engage in nuclear trade with India, what is the next step for Franco-Indian relations in this area? Should a detailed nuclear cooperation agreement be signed? If so, when? If not, is Areva free to sign contracts?

During the President’s visit to India in January, the Head of State and the Indian Prime Minister, Mr Singh, expressed their support for giving a new impetus to cooperation between France and India for the development of civilian nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

In this area, France enjoys a reputation for international expertise that may be an important component in her bilateral cooperation with India.

The adoption of the exemption for India authorizes civilian nuclear trade while strictly defining it. France will thus act in compliance with her international obligations on every point.

FRANCE/RUSSIA/GEORGIA

Q. - Russia announced on Monday, while President Sarkozy had just begun his mission to Moscow accompanied by Messrs. Barroso and Solana, that she was opposed to the deployment of a UN monitoring mission in Georgia, considering it would lead to a “superfluous fragmentation” of the UN and OSCE missions already on the ground. Any reaction?

President Nicolas Sarkozy is in Moscow and Tbilisi today, accompanied by the President of the European Commission, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Bernard Kouchner. The international monitoring mechanism will be one of the subjects discussed with the Russian and Georgian authorities.

In line with the conclusion of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of 13 August and the European Council of 1 September, the European foreign ministers meeting this weekend in Avignon reiterated their support for the deployment of an autonomous European mission within the framework of the ESDP in addition to and in close conjunction with the OSCE and the UN.

The European Union has been consulting with these organizations for several weeks now. These consultations have demonstrated the utility of deploying several complementary missions and aim to ensure their consistency.

MIDDLE EAST

Q. - Given the evolution of the domestic situation in Israel, do you think there should be a high-level meeting to give new momentum to the peace process? What kind of time frame does France now see for establishing a Palestinian State?

A Quartet meeting is scheduled for 26 September in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. It will help review the status of the Middle East peace process to which the ministers, in Avignon for the Gymnich meeting, devoted a working session

We are continuing to encourage the parties to reach an agreement by the end of the year./.