Visit to the Republic of Congo-Brazzaville - Press briefing given by M. de Villepin following his meeting with M. Sassou Nguesso, Brazzaville 29.07.03
M. Dominique de Villepin, Minister of Foreign Affairs
M. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo
FRANCE/CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE/IFI
Q. – You’ve just had a meeting with the President, can we know the goal of your visit to Brazzaville? What’s the purpose of your visit to this part of Africa? What contribution could France make to the Congo’s dialogue with the international financial institutions?
THE MINISTER – The reason I’ve come to the Congo is France’s friendship and loyalty [for this country]. You know how long-standing the relations, of friendship and esteem, are between the French President, Jacques Chirac, and President Sassou Nguess. So I was keen to make a very early visit to Brazzaville, where so many ties have been built up between France and your country. Ties which have, of course, been marked and developed by all the epic events connected with General de Gaulle, General Leclerc, the Brazzaville Conference: all this still strikes a very deep chord in the hearts of the French. And then there’s quite obviously the present and future which we want to forge together. France welcomes the efforts President Sassou Nguesso has set in train throughout the past few years in order to move forward on the path of dialogue, political reconciliation and institutional reform.
And there’s the very important economic and financial reform which has been carried out and is today producing its first results. There is, as you said, the prospect of this meeting with the International Monetary Fund in September. France is backing the efforts made by the Congo. We really hope this agreement can be positive and completely pave the way for the new situation of a Congo once again having her full place in, and enjoying cooperation with the whole international community, her friends. So France is very strongly committed. All our representatives at the IMF and the World Bank are mobilized, as are those at the African Development Bank and in the European Union. We have continually pleaded the Congo’s case, flagging all the milestones she has passed.
So I have confidence in the future, am confident that today a new chapter is going to open for the Congo. Efforts mustn’t slacken, but all the achievements to date are very important.
CENTRAL AFRICA
And, of course, President Sassou Nguesso and I also talked about the regional situation, the situation of central Africa. I wanted to thank him for everything he’s doing, for the Congo’s diplomatic initiatives. Remember that Sassou Nguesso today holds a twin presidency, that of CEMAC (Communauté Economique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale – Central African Economic and Monetary Community) and ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States). All this obviously creates responsibilities which are being perfectly exercised, as we’ve seen with the São Tomé and Príncipe situation and the Central African Republic, where I’m going later on today, to Bangui.
GREAT LAKES REGION/DRC/ITURI
We talked at length about the situation in the Great Lakes, where I know that the Congolese government is playing a very active role. As you know, France is anxious to support the efforts undertaken by the international community, by the whole regional community. You know that we are present in Ituri, at the head of a European force, so we want to go on working to this end.
MAPUTO AU SUMMIT/ANTI-AGRESSION PACT
I also told President Sassou Nguesso how pleased we were with the speech and proposals he made in Maputo about a project for preventing any deterioration in the crisis situations, i.e. a pan-African anti-agression pact. This is totally in line with what we’d like to see for Africa, with France’s proposals to back up African mediation, whenever our African friends mobilize. This is clear in central Africa, it’s been clear in the recent crises, France wants to be at Africa’s side./.