Excerpts from the daily press briefing by Romain Nadal, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international Development spokesman (Paris, October 29th 2014) Lebanon - Meeting of the International Support Group (Berlin, October 28) Yesterday, Mr. Laurent Fabius participated in the meeting of the International Support Group for Lebanon, organized by Germany in the presence of Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr. Tammam Salam. This meeting enabled France to reaffirm its support for Lebanon, a country that is hosting the largest proportion of refugees per capita in the world. It provided an opportunity to call for increased international aid to support the refugees and the host communities, which have limited resources. Mr. Laurent Fabius also reaffirmed the need for Lebanon to swiftly elect a president. The meeting also made it possible to signal our solidarity with Lebanon in a context marked by clashes in Tripoli. France condemns the action of terrorist groups which are targeting the army and seeking to divide the Lebanese people. It extends its condolences to the victims’ families and reaffirms its support for the institutions, especially for Mr. Tammam Salam’s government and the Lebanese armed forces. Germany – Meeting between Mr. Harlem Désir and his German counterpart (Paris, October 29, 2014) Mr. Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs, will today receive his German counterpart, Mr. Michael Roth. Mr. Désir and Mr. Roth will participate in a joint hearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and European Affairs. On this occasion, they will discuss key European issues, including the follow-up to the most recent European Council meeting and the start of the European Commission’s new term of office. Mr. Désir and Mr. Roth, who are also secretaries-general for French-German cooperation, will review preparations for the French-German Council of Ministers scheduled to take place in Berlin at the beginning of 2015. Lastly, they will award the Adenauer-de Gaulle Prize to the French-German TV channel, ARTE. Israel – Settlement activity France condemns the Israeli authorities’ decision to start the planning process for more than 1,000 new homes in East Jerusalem. If confirmed, such a measure would be illegal under international law. This announcement comes at a time when tensions are already high in Jerusalem, while we are concerned about the recent unrest and restricted access to the Esplanade of the Mosques. These events resonate throughout the region. We call for respect for all holy sites in Jerusalem and for the city’s multicultural dimension. Any challenges to the status quo would pose a major threat to stability. It is more urgent and necessary than ever to make serious progress in the peace process. China – Economic diplomacy – Project to build a new sustainable city in Wuhan Ms. Martine Aubry, Special Representative of Mr. Laurent Fabius for China, will receive, on November 3 in Lille, Mr. Wang Guosheng, Governor of Hubei Province, and Mr. Lu Shaye, Deputy Mayor of Wuhan, who will be accompanied by around 50 Chinese business representatives and economic actors. Several agreements on the operational and financial arrangements for building a new sustainable city in Wuhan will be signed during this meeting. This major project was launched during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to France in March and confirmed in Lille on June 13 through the signing of a joint declaration in the presence of Mr. Laurent Fabius. This event will mark a new stage in the strengthening of our bilateral cooperation in the areas of sustainable urban development and the fight against climate disruption. For more information, please visit: lille.fr/cms/accueil/votre-mairie/nouvelle-ville-durable-wuhan-lille-3-novembre
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:58:11 +0000
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