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France Says Time to Help Iraq End Violence
- Thread starter prontospyder
- Start date
Steeplerot
Lifer
France pulls out chestnuts out of the fire, again. And here starts the French bashing by the rural/suburbanites of America.
We don't deserve anyone's help. But then I am sure France has it's own motives in this.
We don't deserve anyone's help. But then I am sure France has it's own motives in this.
Ozoned
Diamond Member
FYI
Ministerial conference on Iraq
Speech by Michel Barnier, Minister of Foreign Affairs (excerpts)
Sharm el Sheikh, November 23, 2004
(...)
I thank the Egyptian authorities for the opportunity they are giving the nations and international organizations here today to testify their commitment to work resolutely to ensure the smooth progress of Iraq?s transition process, as set out on 8 June under UNSCR 1546. And we are here to say that we all want to be players, I mean players, in this process.
The main challenge facing our meeting today is, indeed, to assure all Iraqis that this transition process, designed to return to them the whole management of their country and full control of their destiny, will continue to take place in line with the timetable laid down under the resolution.
It is with this concern to send the Iraqis this message of support and solidarity that France has taken part in drafting the final communiqué. We have had no objective other than to seek the means to allow Iraq and her people to regain peace; no objective other than to be useful and effective, with you, and allow this ongoing transition to progress. And I want here to salute the efforts deployed by the Egyptian foreign ministry and all the negotiators to promote consensus on a comprehensive, ambitious document.
* * *
My country has called for the clear identification of two dimensions, essential to the success of the process: The first is for the largest number of Iraqis to support and contribute to the ongoing transition in their country. For it to succeed, there must be unity. All the Iraqis must get involved in this transition, see it as their own, one which concerns them all, their future, and will lead over the next few months to the drafting of a new Constitution.
This is why we wanted our conference to send, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming elections, a message signalling that the ongoing process is open to all the Iraqis, to all the political families rejecting or renouncing violence, to get them to support or rejoin it. This message is hugely important at a time when violence is rocking Iraq every day, hitting civilians in particular. All the parties must see that here is clearly an alternative to the violence.
This is why it is genuinely important for our draft declaration to encourage the interim government to bring together, as soon as possible before the poll, representatives of the Iraqi political scene. This will encourage the largest possible number of people throughout Iraq to vote, and is, in my view, one of the conditions for this election being credible.
The second dimension we wanted to include in the text is the prospect of the foreign troops? withdrawal. UNSCR 1546 refers to this in paragraphs 4 and 12, linking the expiry of the mandate of the multinational force with the completion of the political process, set for 31 December 2005 at the latest.
Against a background in which hostility to the presence of the foreign forces is distancing a good number of Iraqis from the process, it seems to us essential to draw attention to this date, and clearly reaffirm the goal of the Iraqis taking full control of their country's affairs and destiny ? including in the security and military sphere. This point is now clearly mentioned in the final communiqué.
* * *
Our message to the Iraqis is also that we are determined to ensure the success of the general election scheduled for 30 January. It must take place, as I've said, throughout Iraq, in an atmosphere of total neutrality, and be open to all components of Iraqi society who accept the rules of democracy.
To achieve this, and despite the difficult circumstances on the ground which Kofi Annan referred to earlier ? and I don?t want us to forget the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello in August 2003 ? the United Nations is playing its role of giving advice and support, accorded to it under UNSCR 1546. On its side, the European Union announced on 5 November last to the Iraqi Prime Minister that it would provide extra electoral assistance of ?30 million, send experts to assist the Iraqi electoral commission, train Iraqi observers and make a substantial financial contribution to the United Nations Protection Force.
* * *
In order confidently to play their part in this process and look to the future, the Iraqis need to know that the international community is at their side. This is why the regional dimension of our conference is extremely important: Iraq's neighbours have an essential responsibility, as your presence demonstrates. They must all play a constructive role to help ensure the success of the process, for the sake of the stability of the region, which, in the first place, is their region.
I want to repeat here to our colleague, Mr Zebari, France's determination to back this process and support the Iraqis in their reconstruction efforts. France is committing herself to this first of all at national level through her exceptional effort to reduce Iraq's debt, and also through her cooperation, particularly on the training front. We are also asking for a substantial involvement of our European Union, resolved that it should conduct a useful, visible, autonomous action focusing on support for the electoral process and the rule of law.
* * *
But we also want, at the economic level, to contribute to getting Iraq back on her feet. This requires businesses being able to operate in conditions of fairness and transparency for all.
My country has resolutely pledged, as President of the Paris Club, to reach a bold, generous solution to the problem of Iraq's government debt in order to meet the Iraqis' immediate needs and enable them to regain financial stability and prosperity as soon as possible.
The agreement reached the day before yesterday in Paris strongly signals the international community?s determination to help Iraq. This agreement provides, in total, for an 80% reduction in the debt owed to Paris Club creditors in three phases, the first of 30%, consisting mainly of an exceptional cancellation of late interest because of Iraq?s wholly singular situation during the sanctions regime. The following two phases require an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
We?ve no doubt that this agreement will allow the Iraqi authorities to get the country's economy running again for the benefit of all the Iraqi people and thus encourage reconstruction.
In order to build on the effort resulting from the 21 November agreement, we are also, in our turn, urging Iraq's creditor countries which aren't Paris Club members to accord her the same treatment.
Everyone knows the views of the countries represented around this table on the circumstances which have led to the situation we are debating. Today we must look to the future. France, within the European Union, is ready to do so.
To end the instability in Iraq, which is also our own instability, is a collective duty, commensurate with the immense difficulties which Iraq's men, women and children are today encountering in their daily lives, and of the future we must help them build; commensurate with the history of this great people, inheritors of a thousand-year-old culture, commensurate, too, with the risks this situation creates for this whole region and ? as I've said ? well beyond it.
Ministerial conference on Iraq
Speech by Michel Barnier, Minister of Foreign Affairs (excerpts)
Sharm el Sheikh, November 23, 2004
(...)
I thank the Egyptian authorities for the opportunity they are giving the nations and international organizations here today to testify their commitment to work resolutely to ensure the smooth progress of Iraq?s transition process, as set out on 8 June under UNSCR 1546. And we are here to say that we all want to be players, I mean players, in this process.
The main challenge facing our meeting today is, indeed, to assure all Iraqis that this transition process, designed to return to them the whole management of their country and full control of their destiny, will continue to take place in line with the timetable laid down under the resolution.
It is with this concern to send the Iraqis this message of support and solidarity that France has taken part in drafting the final communiqué. We have had no objective other than to seek the means to allow Iraq and her people to regain peace; no objective other than to be useful and effective, with you, and allow this ongoing transition to progress. And I want here to salute the efforts deployed by the Egyptian foreign ministry and all the negotiators to promote consensus on a comprehensive, ambitious document.
* * *
My country has called for the clear identification of two dimensions, essential to the success of the process: The first is for the largest number of Iraqis to support and contribute to the ongoing transition in their country. For it to succeed, there must be unity. All the Iraqis must get involved in this transition, see it as their own, one which concerns them all, their future, and will lead over the next few months to the drafting of a new Constitution.
This is why we wanted our conference to send, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming elections, a message signalling that the ongoing process is open to all the Iraqis, to all the political families rejecting or renouncing violence, to get them to support or rejoin it. This message is hugely important at a time when violence is rocking Iraq every day, hitting civilians in particular. All the parties must see that here is clearly an alternative to the violence.
This is why it is genuinely important for our draft declaration to encourage the interim government to bring together, as soon as possible before the poll, representatives of the Iraqi political scene. This will encourage the largest possible number of people throughout Iraq to vote, and is, in my view, one of the conditions for this election being credible.
The second dimension we wanted to include in the text is the prospect of the foreign troops? withdrawal. UNSCR 1546 refers to this in paragraphs 4 and 12, linking the expiry of the mandate of the multinational force with the completion of the political process, set for 31 December 2005 at the latest.
Against a background in which hostility to the presence of the foreign forces is distancing a good number of Iraqis from the process, it seems to us essential to draw attention to this date, and clearly reaffirm the goal of the Iraqis taking full control of their country's affairs and destiny ? including in the security and military sphere. This point is now clearly mentioned in the final communiqué.
* * *
Our message to the Iraqis is also that we are determined to ensure the success of the general election scheduled for 30 January. It must take place, as I've said, throughout Iraq, in an atmosphere of total neutrality, and be open to all components of Iraqi society who accept the rules of democracy.
To achieve this, and despite the difficult circumstances on the ground which Kofi Annan referred to earlier ? and I don?t want us to forget the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello in August 2003 ? the United Nations is playing its role of giving advice and support, accorded to it under UNSCR 1546. On its side, the European Union announced on 5 November last to the Iraqi Prime Minister that it would provide extra electoral assistance of ?30 million, send experts to assist the Iraqi electoral commission, train Iraqi observers and make a substantial financial contribution to the United Nations Protection Force.
* * *
In order confidently to play their part in this process and look to the future, the Iraqis need to know that the international community is at their side. This is why the regional dimension of our conference is extremely important: Iraq's neighbours have an essential responsibility, as your presence demonstrates. They must all play a constructive role to help ensure the success of the process, for the sake of the stability of the region, which, in the first place, is their region.
I want to repeat here to our colleague, Mr Zebari, France's determination to back this process and support the Iraqis in their reconstruction efforts. France is committing herself to this first of all at national level through her exceptional effort to reduce Iraq's debt, and also through her cooperation, particularly on the training front. We are also asking for a substantial involvement of our European Union, resolved that it should conduct a useful, visible, autonomous action focusing on support for the electoral process and the rule of law.
* * *
But we also want, at the economic level, to contribute to getting Iraq back on her feet. This requires businesses being able to operate in conditions of fairness and transparency for all.
My country has resolutely pledged, as President of the Paris Club, to reach a bold, generous solution to the problem of Iraq's government debt in order to meet the Iraqis' immediate needs and enable them to regain financial stability and prosperity as soon as possible.
The agreement reached the day before yesterday in Paris strongly signals the international community?s determination to help Iraq. This agreement provides, in total, for an 80% reduction in the debt owed to Paris Club creditors in three phases, the first of 30%, consisting mainly of an exceptional cancellation of late interest because of Iraq?s wholly singular situation during the sanctions regime. The following two phases require an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
We?ve no doubt that this agreement will allow the Iraqi authorities to get the country's economy running again for the benefit of all the Iraqi people and thus encourage reconstruction.
In order to build on the effort resulting from the 21 November agreement, we are also, in our turn, urging Iraq's creditor countries which aren't Paris Club members to accord her the same treatment.
Everyone knows the views of the countries represented around this table on the circumstances which have led to the situation we are debating. Today we must look to the future. France, within the European Union, is ready to do so.
To end the instability in Iraq, which is also our own instability, is a collective duty, commensurate with the immense difficulties which Iraq's men, women and children are today encountering in their daily lives, and of the future we must help them build; commensurate with the history of this great people, inheritors of a thousand-year-old culture, commensurate, too, with the risks this situation creates for this whole region and ? as I've said ? well beyond it.
HeroOfPellinor
Lifer
Have a dislike for those who live in rural and suburban areas? Hmm. I'm just curious how you manage to grow your own food on the tiny balcony of your 9th floor apartment.
So much for only Kerry being able to bring other nations into this effort (if this turns out to be true)....
Not that I think France will add much if anything to the table, but it is still a good show on their part considering the current situation at hand and how things are unlikely to change no matter how much they complain.
Not that I think France will add much if anything to the table, but it is still a good show on their part considering the current situation at hand and how things are unlikely to change no matter how much they complain.
ChrisIsBored
Diamond Member
Michel Barnier has been trying to get on our good side for weeks now. It's Chirac who makes the calls, and he's been the most staunch supporter against us. We'll see where this goes...
Translation...
We French are sincerely hoping that you Iraqis get everything worked out, and the sooner the better, and when you do don't forget us, your loyal supporters, when it comes time to start passing out the funds for the rebuilding. We support you one hundred percent and will be right here awaiting your call.
We French are sincerely hoping that you Iraqis get everything worked out, and the sooner the better, and when you do don't forget us, your loyal supporters, when it comes time to start passing out the funds for the rebuilding. We support you one hundred percent and will be right here awaiting your call.
dmcowen674
No Lifer
Here's your well deserved
Darkhawk28
Diamond Member
LOL... Coalition of the "Let's Clean Up Bush's Mess"...
At this point, having the French "come to our rescue", so to speak, is nothing more than a total embarrassment.
miketheidiot
Lifer
Funny how you libs like to forget what is said here after any given amount of time...I remember more than a few prominant members who had stated the only way we would get any assistance from other countries was with a change of administration....please point out in my response where I said Kerry had made this statement...also by your own admission it appears as if the Junior Senator from Mass was incorrect seeing as how France might jump into the frey. Please try to be factual with your replies instead of bitter.
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