April 13, 2005
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http://www.ambafrance-us.org http://www.france.diplomatie.fr VOL. 05.04 APRIL 13, 2005 A free triweekly review of French news & trends Online at: www.ambafrance-us.org/publi France Hails Ivory Coast Peace Accords INSIDE 2 L’événement RENCH FOREIGN MINISTER Michel Barnier com- "France is ready, for its part, to give its full support to the France Backs U.N. mended the peace agreement signed in Pretoria on April 6 by application of the political decisions just made by the African Reform Proposals the warring factions in the Ivory Coast. The agreement leaders," declared Barnier. In particular, the agreement calls for 3 France-Amérique declared an end to the two and a half year civil war that has the holding of general elections as soon as possible, a process New Approach to Fleft the West African country divided and turned what was once a which France says is essential to bringing about national recon- Educational Exchanges prosperous nation into a zone of unrest and conflict. "I hail the suc- ciliation in the Ivory Coast. cess of the mediation led with determination in the name of the An armed rebellion in 2002 divided the nation into two parts, 4 Profil African Union," declared Barnier, adding that the agreement, bro- the rebel, primarily Muslim North and the government-held and Alexis de Tocqueville kered by South Africa, sets the conditions for a definite end to the cri- largely Christian South. A ceasefire was recently broken on Économie / Science sis in the Ivory Coast. November 4, resulting in the deaths of nine French peacekeepers 5 The Pretoria agreement puts the Ivory Coast, a former French and one American aid worker. There are over 10,000 French and 35-Hour Work colony and the world's top cocoa producer, on the path toward peace U.N. peacekeepers currently stationed in the Ivory Coast. l l Week Reformed through disarmament, election reform, and unified government. It 6 Société resulted from four days of talks in South Africa's capital between gov- CHIRAC PRAISES POPE'S LEGACY Greatest Frenchman ernment and rebel leaders and was signed by Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, rebel opposition leader Guillame Soro, Prime On April 3, President Jacques Chirac expressed his sadness at 7 Culture Minister Seydou Diarra along with former president Henri Konan the passing of Pope John Paul II, saying, "I wish to express Neo-Impressionism Bedie, former prime minister Alassane Ouattara and South African France's homage to a man who carried with incomparable fer- Expo at Musée d’Orsay vor, conviction and courage a message of hope for all the peo- President Thabo Mbeki. ples of the world." The Pope, whose life came to an end in 8 Chez nous Rome on April 2, was described by the president as an "untir- D.C. Premiere of ing pilgrim for dialogue, reconciliation and peace." Chirac Life x 3 Play recalled the numerous visits John Paul II made to France over Darfur War Criminals to be Tried his 26-year tenure, "Every one of us can remember the World Youth Days in 1997 when he brought together hundreds and in International Criminal Court hundreds of young people here in Paris." "Humanity loses an inspired pastor," the president declared, "an unflagging N MARCH 31, the United Nations try interna- defender of the dignity of man." Chirac and his wife were Security Council voted 11 to 0 to approve tional sus- among the many dignitaries to attend John Paul II's funeral in AMBASSADE DE FRANCE Rome on April 8. AUX ETATS-UNIS OFrench-initiated resolution 1593, which pects. The Court's purpose is to bring to justice criminals who have committed crimes in a country FRENCHWOMAN COMPLETES PACIFIC CROSSING IN ROWBOAT that is itself incapable or unwilling to judge them fairly. Last year the U.N. declared the situ- ation in Darfur to be the world's worst ongoing humanitarian catastrophe (more than 300,000 African villagers have lost their lives in the conflict). In addition, the U.N. predicts that three to Displaced Sudanese with belongings four million people will need food aid paves the way for war crimes committed in Sudan's in the region by the middle of next year, western Darfur region to be tried in the International as most farmers are afraid to return to Criminal Court. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan their fields because of the continued Twenty-six year old Maud Fontenoy finished her 8,000-kilo- promptly provided the court, based in the Hague, fighting and instability. The Security meter journey across the Pacific on March 27, becoming the Netherlands, with a list of 51 suspects who will face Council suspects that pro-government first woman to row across the world's largest ocean by herself. Fontenoy, who also became the first woman to row solo across international prosecution when apprehended. These Arab militias, known as the janjaweed, the North Atlantic Ocean in 2003, completed her 73-day jour- suspects, identified by an independent U.N. commis- as well as Sudanese government and ney by arriving at the island of Hiva Oa, in French Polynesia. Her sion last year, are accused of mass killings, systematic military officials are to blame for sever- vessel, the Oceor, is no ordinary rowboat: its 7.5-meter cedar- rapes, and pillaging. al grave transgressions, including rape, framed, kevlar and fiberglass hull was designed to withstand Citizens for Global Solutions called the U.N.'s col- murder and arson. Sudan's government massive waves and to carry enough supplies for the entire trip. laboration to end the violence in Darfur an "historic first insists that arming the janjaweed was Setting sail from Callao, Peru, on January 12, Fontenoy followed for international law." Indeed, it will mark the first time necessary to end the Darfur rebellion the route of Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, whose historic the court, established in 2002, exercises its authority to that began in 2003. l l 1947 trans-Pacific trip on the Kon-Tiki raft lasted 101 days. 1 En bref current events L’ÉVÉNEMENT AFRICAN WATER FORUM HELD IN PARIS An international conference on water in rural Africa was organized by the African Development Bank (ADB) April 1 in Paris. The conference focused on France Backs Annan’s U.N. Reform Project how the international community can U.N. Secretary General proposes increasing the number of permanent Security Council members increase access to potable water for 300 million people in Africa between now and 2015. President Jacques URING HIS MEETING on March 28 with Among the other major countries frequently mentioned as Chirac called for the international Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, possible candidates for permanent seats are Argentina, Brazil community to contribute 14 billion President Jacques Chirac strongly endorsed U.N. and Mexico for Latin America, as well as Egypt, Nigeria and euros to the ADB's initiative. For its Secretary General Kofi Annan's March 21 proposals South Africa for Africa. l l part, France has promised to offer its Dregarding possible U.N. reforms. Annan's recommendations expertise in water services, and it will include an increase in the number of both permanent and MATTEI NEW soon double its aid program to Africa SPOKESMAN FOR non-permanent Security Council members. But specific to $468 million per year. FRENCH FOREIGN countries would not immediately be identified in the possible MINISTRY draft resolution, which may be put to the U.N. General FRENCH NAVAL EXERCISE Jean-Baptiste Mattei Assembly in September. FOR NATO CERTIFICATION formally assumed his France and Japan agree that the Security Council should France ran an extensive naval exercise duties as the new involving eight other NATO countries be expanded in terms of both permanent and non-permanent spokesman for the from late March to mid-April in the memberships. In a joint news conference after their meeting in French Foreign Ministry Mediterranean. This exercise is expect- Tokyo, Chirac said France has long supported a proposal for on March 22, taking ed to qualify France to lead NATO Japan and Germany to become permanent Security Council over from Hervé Rapid Reaction Force naval operations members, "in a manner in which the two countries would have Ladsous (who has in the future. NATO's recently estab- all rights and obligations of permanent members, particularly become assistant secre- lished Rapid Reaction Forces can inter- a veto." Japan and France will continue to push for the tary for Asian affairs). vene rapidly in a crisis anywhere in the Council's expansion and other reforms during the U.N.’s glob- After joining the world. The operation included 8,300 Foreign Ministry in al summit in September. men and 40 ships, including the air- 1983, Mattei first served in Cairo and then twice in craft carrier Charles de Gaulle, 15 Brussels, once with the European Union and once with frigates and destroyers, and three sub- NATO. He spent the past year as the cabinet director for marines, as well as 17 fighter planes France Welcomes the European Affairs minister. As part of his new posi- and 25 helicopters. tion, Mattei also becomes a member of the administra- Stability Pact Reform tive board of Agence France-Presse (AFP). FRANCE, ISRAEL TO JOINTLY DEVELOP SATELLITE RESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC indicated his by increasing their budgetary flexibility. "A more intelli- France and Israel plan to cooperatively develop a scientific observation satel- strong support for the reform of the European gent pact is a pact that will be better accepted and more lite slated to be launched in 2008. PUnion's Growth and Stability pact approved on widely respected," Chirac said during the first meeting Israel will contribute $20 million to the March 22 during an E.U.