April 15, 2004
Chirac: No negociations with terrorists
Well, that would be a first.
French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday ruled out any negotiations "with terrorists", in response to an offer of a truce in a tape purporting to come from Osama bin Laden.
"There is no negotiation possible with terrorists," Chirac said in Algiers, where he was on a brief visit to see Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
"Terrorism is a barbarous act which attacks innocent people, (and) which cannot be justified by any reason or any cause," he told a media conference.
Meanwhile...
Israel's unilateral plan to reshape its borders by withdrawing from the Gaza Strip but keeping West Bank settlements was "dangerous," French President Jacques Chirac said Thursday.
The plan -- which was given public backing Wednesday by US President George W. Bush -- would set "a troubling precedent," Chirac told reporters during a visit to Algiers, where he met Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. . .
"If circumstances or men start playing with international stability and the rules of international law, it is a troubling precedent," Chirac said. "It's dangerous". . .
Chirac said that the best path to the goal of finding peace was negotiation. "I don't believe that peace can be imposed, especially when it concerns two adversaries who have been seriously fighting for such a long time."
Emphasis is mine.
Yes, I know, in Dom's and Jack's fancy world, the PA is not a bunch of terrorists. Not at all.
Posted by Carine at April 15, 2004 07:18 PMHere is the French government's official response to Mr. bin Laden's proffered truce, from the spokesperson at teh Quai d'Orsay (Item No.11):
(Hat Tip: ¡No Pasaran!
Well, at least they didn't flat out say "OUI!"
DGB
Posted by: Damian Bennett at April 16, 2004 03:11 AMCarine,
You should give credit to Jacque. Sure he has a blind spot regarding Israel, but he has stood up to the terrorist Bin Laden. This is a good thing.
Change comes incrimentally if people are lucky.
Personally, I think Chirac's anti Americanism is a facade. He uses it as a tool to make himself palatable to the electorate.
Bin Laden gave the people of Europe a gift that was unintended. Not the offer of cease fire, but the opportunity to declare where their hearts lie on the war on terror. This could be the beginning of a change in your country's politics. A little pride in oneself can be a powerful motivator.
Papertiger,
As long as I can remember, Chirac has been in politics. Before I was born, he was already in politics.
If there is one thing I have learnt, it is not to trust what he says, especially when he makes promises.
Even the French nicknamed him Super Lier during the last presidential elections.
Three months ago, they were negociating with AZF though it seems to appear today that they weren't even that dangerous. AZF is now supposed to have stopped their action momentarily due to technical difficulties. Did they pay what they ask for? We don't know.
10 months ago, Villepin was shaking hands with Arafat, a Palestinian and a French flag on the table, while the US and Israel were refusing to deal with Arafat, banishing him from negociations.
When Villepin was still Foreign Minister, just a couple of months ago, he implied Colombia wasn't doing enough to get Ingrid Bettencourt freed from the guerrillas. He suggested the Colombian government would release some of the already-arrested terrorists so they could negociate Bettencourt's liberation.
I'm afraid Chirac simply couldn't say anything else.
Hopefully, next thing we'll hear won't be: it's America's fault.
Posted by: Carine at April 16, 2004 10:20 PM
