France new initiative to recover its position in the region

Douste-Blazy to meet Maghreban States ambassadors

France new initiative to recover its position in the region

El Khabar, 18 march 2007

The French foreign affairs ministry unveiled the adoption of a new plan meant to back up the partnership with Maghreban States. The plan’s details are to be disclosed by Philippe Douste-Blazy next Tuesday during his meeting with the five accredited Maghreban States ambassadors.
Jean-Baptiste Mattéi, the spokesman of the French foreign affairs ministry disclosed, in a press conference held Friday, aired on the ministry official web-site, a French initiative meant to backing up partnership and cooperation between Paris and Maghreban States in economic and cultural areas, in a way that construes Paris willingness to recover its position in the Maghreban scene.
This initiative is mainly meant at giving a new boost to partnership ties between France and Maghreban States, in terms of civil society organizations, territorial communities, as well as cooperation in the economic, higher education, cultural and linguistics field, in addition to Human rights defence.
The French official denied the fact that the political issues will be on the agenda, at the forefront, the Southern Sahara conflict that, according to him, is under the United Nation’s power. However, he stressed on the fact that France energy security will be on the meeting’s agenda.
As for the recent security developments in the Maghreban region, and whether they will be discussed or not during the meeting, the French diplomatic official pointed out that France has a security partnership with the authorities of States having an experience in terms of counter-terrorism issues. He added that France is holing regular meetings with Maghreban States home affairs ministries to discuss the developments at the security field.

2007-03-18
By F. Lamia/ Translated by N. K