Site du Premier ministre - Portail du Gouvernement

Excerpts

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Q. - Being on the spot makes you more optimistic or more concerned about the possibilities for national reconciliation in this country?

THE MINISTER - I was worried before and I still am. But being on the spot is not to hold certainties in your mind before understanding. In order to understand and to eventually suggest some way of participating, it was essential to listen. I’ve met with all the groups in Iraqi society and in a few minutes I’ll be seeing His Beatitude Emmanuel III, who is the head of the Chaldean Church. It’s tough for the Christians here, and they’re more or less persecuted. Anyway, they’re leaving. So I’ve seen everybody. I’ll continue seeing people throughout the day. It’s only afterwards that I’ll be able to get a slightly more precise idea. But it was necessary to be there, it is necessary to be there.

Q. - Why was this the time for French diplomacy to return to Iraq?

THE MINISTER - Because we’ve been in office for three months and needed a timetable. We’d listed the crises and, one by one, we’re trying to play a role there. But now I believe it’s hard to understand, from a distance, what is going on here. It’s a tremendous match that’s going to be played out here, and we must be part of it. As General de Gaulle used to say, “Allons vers l’Orient” [“let’s head East”]. I really think that based on what’s decided here, what plays out here, the world will be changed.

Q. - What are you referring to exactly?

THE MINISTER - To religious clashes for example. To sectarian clashes. Or to religious entente and community entente. To the fate of peace and war in the Middle East. I’m referring to the conflicts and difficulties of the Shiite and Sunni communities in getting along with each other. And then there are also the Wahabis. I’m referring to the trust or distrust which is going to exist between the communities, to war or to peace in reality, and to their position in relation to the others. There are countries around Iraq that are terribly important, that are going to play a role in the months and years to come. That concerns us. There’s Iran. There’s the nuclear problem in Iran. There’s the problem of Iran’s relationship with the Shiite faith. There’s Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Lebanon.

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Q. - In any case, you think it’s important for France to continue to distance herself from US policy, which is the risk you’re running by going there?

THE MINISTER - The only way not to run risks is to do nothing. We’ve clearly separated ourselves from American policy. We didn’t support American intervention, and I believe we were right to try, through means like those used in Kosovo, the international community’s means through the UN, to stop crimes perpetrated by Saddam Hussein on his own people. But let’s not go back over what’s happened. It is very important that the Iraqis remember - and they do - France’s position, and this gives us a very special role. And in fact we didn’t go through the Americans. It’s the first time in 20 years that a foreign minister has gone to Iraq. We didn’t go through the Americans. I told Ms Rice a few hours before leaving, as I did my colleague, Mr Miliband, and Mr Steinmeier, the Portuguese President and Mr Solana.

Q. - You’ll talk about the findings of your trip to the other European foreign ministers?

THE MINISTER - Of course, because I hope there’ll be possibilities, positive actions, not just from France. But France does have a special role in this region. You can’t imagine France’s reception among all the communities! And I want to remind you that there’s a Catholic community here whom I’m seeing in a few minutes. It was a marvellous welcome. They expect something. It’s something of a relief to them that they haven’t been forgotten. Before, there used to be an attitude like, “Move on, there’s nothing to see, it’s so complicated, it’s such a mess already it’s best to stay clear.” Well that’s not France’s attitude now.

Q. - So there’s a change from when Jacques Chirac was president?

THE MINISTER - There’s an evolution of the situation as well. I think it’s the moment. I think everyone knows that the Americans will not be able to get this country out of difficulty alone. And so, as I’ve said and I’ll say again, the more the Iraqis request the intervention of the United Nations, the more it will help them. Europe, it’s true, must play a role, and I hope other foreign ministers will come and visit Iraq, I’d like this./.