News from France 04.01
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http://www.ambafrance-us.org http://www.france.diplomatie.fr VOL. 04.01 FEBRUARY 4, 2004 A triweekly review of French news and trends Online at: www.ambafrance-us.org/publi/nff French Defense Minister Visits U.S. INSIDE Michèle Alliot-Marie met with her American counterparts in an atmosphere of trust and friendship 2 L’événement Chinese President In her first trip to the United States since the beginning of the war in Iraq, French Defense Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie paid a visit to Travels to France U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice in Washington, D.C., on January 15 and then 3 France-Amérique met with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York on January 16. After her talks in Washington, French Researcher AMBASSADOR LEVITTE Alliot-Marie said she believed there was a "real willingness to turn the page on tensions between the PRESENTED WITH Honored by U.S. KING LEGACY AWARD United States and France." She added, "I really had the impression that the situation has become unfrozen and that there is a desire to resume normal relations." Profil The King Legacy Award for 4 International Service was pre- Back in Paris, the Minister of Defense confirmed her initial impressions, telling the deputies of the Religion in France National Assembly that she "noticed a distinct situation of détente and a desire to turn the page." She sented to French Ambassador 5 Économie Jean-David Levitte on January declared that "in short, there is now a clear will in Washington to strengthen dialogue with France and 2004 Resolutions 18. Every year since 1992, the the European Union and thus a basis for renewed and solid cooperation." Committee for the International 6 Société Salute to the Life and Legacy of Minister Calls For Renewal of Crime Down Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has awarded groups and individuals 7 Culture who have positively impacted Transatlantic Security Partnership Year of the Monkey both the national and interna- N A SPEECH HOSTED by the more to the Arab-Muslim world." Celebrated in Paris tional communities and who have displayed extraordinary Center for Strategic and Addressing the issue of Iraq, the French defense 8 Chez nous leadership that reinforces the International Studies (a minister stressed that "the stabilization of Iraq is in Couturières and the Washington think tank) on everyone's interest" and that "we all want Iraq to be ideals set by Dr. King. Modern Woman IJanuary 16, Defense Minister Michèle sovereign, stable, democratic and prosperous." She Alliot-Marie also sought to rekindle a friendly dialogue with her U.S. coun- reiterated that though there are currently no plans to terparts. She spoke of the importance of renewing and strengthening the send French troops to Iraq, "France is standing ready transatlantic partnership between France and the United States and of main- to be involved in the reconstruction of Iraq as soon taining a Western Alliance as the Iraqi people have in general. Although regained their sovereignty." She AMBASSADE DE FRANCE Alliot-Marie acknowl- told the audience that France is AUX ETATS-UNIS edged past and present also willing to train SCHROEDER INVITED tensions between the two Iraq's future military and TO NORMANDY countries, she mainly police forces, something French President Jacques highlighted current exam- that the French are Chirac has officially invited ples of U.S.-French coop- already doing in German chancellor Gerhard eration. She noted, for Afghanistan. Schroeder to attend June example, that French In her address, Alliot- ceremonies in Normandy troops continue to operate Marie constantly marking the 60th anniversary alongside Americans in emphasized France's of D-Day. It is the first time a Afghanistan and in the commitment to NATO German chancellor will be Balkans, and that the two as well as its desire to joining other leaders for the commemoration of the countries' naval forces continue building a Allied landings, a welcome operate together to secure common European sign that Europe has put its sea lanes in the Indian security and defense pol- last great war behind it. The Ocean. icy. She repeated that ceremonies in Normandy are She also emphasized Europe's defense ambi- meant to honor the the significant coopera- tions are aimed at Americans, British and French Defense Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie speaking at CSIS Canadians who stormed the tion taking place between (Courtesy:Embassy of France - Aude Rabault) strengthening -not weak- the two nations in the ening- the NATO beaches on June 6, 1944, fight against terrorism, saying that "the cooperation between our intelligence alliance. Finally, she underscored France's dying by the thousands to services clearly reflects our common concerns." Inserting a hint of caution, allegiance to the United Nations, explaining liberate France and the rest of Europe from Nazi rule. however, she added that " anti-terrorism efforts will only succeed if we also that the U.N. "is our common home, the President George Bush has address the causes of terrorism, namely the sense of frustration in the face of international norm of reference and the place naturally also been invited to injustice and poverty." Expanding on this point, Alliot-Marie said that "humil- for dialogue and collective action." She the ceremonies. iation is exploited by fanatics" and she urged both the French and Americans noted, however, that the international body to "work together to eradicate blind violence, but also its roots and to listen will need to be reformed in order to better face future crises. l l 1 En bref current events L’ÉVÉNEMENT MORE AUTONOMY FOR FRENCH POLYNESIA The French National Assembly defini- Chinese President Hu Jintao in France tively approved on January 29 moves HE PRESIDENT OF CHINA, Hu Jintao, marked on democracy and human rights in his speech, saying there to increase autonomy for French Polynesia. The change is part of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplo- was "a great deal of change going on in China." France's decentralization process and matic relations between Trade was also a key issue dur- is aimed at granting the territory more France and the People’s ing the visit. China is the second powers in line with requests from the TRepublic of China by visiting biggest market in Asia (after French Polynesian leadership. The France for four days, from January Japan), but French imports there changes would transfer to the local 26 to 29 at the invitation of only represent about 1.6 percent authorities powers in a number of President Jacques Chirac. France of the country's trade. Hu signed areas, notably in matters concerning was the first Western power to rec- several trade agreements, civil, employment and tax laws, and ognize the PRC, and the two announcing for instance that they would allow positive discrimina- nations have excellent relations, state-owned China Southern tion for native residents. although France continues to Airlines plans to purchase 21 new BRITISH, GERMAN AND express its concern over the planes from European plane FRENCH GET-TOGETHER human rights situation in the French President Jacques Chirac and maker Airbus. Other contracts British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw world's most populous nation. Chinese President Hu Jintao were signed with white-goods hosted France's Dominique de Villepin Hu appeared before the French (Courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs - F. de La Mure) maker Thomson, glass and pack- and Germany's Joschka Fischer at Parliament on January 27, during aging manufacturer St-Gobain Chevening, his official country resi- which he insisted on the importance of maintaining strong and car marker Peugeot-Citröen, among others. dence outside London, on January 19. During the informal dinner, the British, ties between the two partner nations. Hu felt that France and Following Hu's visit, the two leaders jointly signed a decla- French and German foreign ministers China must strengthen their political, economic, and cultural ration that lays out the two countries' partnership goals for the discussed Iraq, Iran and other major cooperation, thus reinforcing their partnership. He also future. This declaration reaffirmed the "strategic partnership" issues. British authorities said they expressed confidence in the improvement of China's record created by the two countries in 1997. l l have "always worked closely with France and Germany" and the meet- ing suggested Britain's desire to boost Villepin Calls For Russian-E.U. Strategic Partnership its trilateral relationship with its two N THE CONTEXT of the ongoing dialogue that France would "analyze threats that the European continent faces, par- biggest European partners. British wishes to have with Russia on major international issues, ticularly with regard to proliferation and terrorism." This Prime Minister Tony Blair wants French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin went to might include "joint operations in peacekeeping," he noted. London to hold such policy meetings I Moscow on January 22 and 23 for talks with Referring to Iraq, the two foreign minis- with their Paris and Berlin counterparts ALLIANCE FRANCAISE every six weeks. The next one will take his counterpart, Igor Ivanov. During the 120 YEARS OLD ters called for an international conference to place on February 18 in Berlin. visit, Villepin gave a speech to students at the The Alliance Française, which pro- discuss rebuilding the country, but both said MGIMO, the Russian Institute of motes and defends French culture progress on reconstruction