Official speeches and statements - June 19, 2017

1. Germany - European Union - Death of Helmut Kohl - Communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic (Paris - June 16, 2017)

Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic, was saddened to learn of the death of former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Helmut Kohl was one of Europe and the free world’s great men.

The architect of his country’s unification, Helmut Kohl forged, with François Mitterrand, Europe’s unity and deepened the Franco-German relationship.

Our Europe’s major achievements owe a great deal to Helmut Kohl: Schengen, the single currency and the beginnings of European defense.

Reformer, visionary and unifier, Helmut Kohl left his mark on our collective history.

The President expresses his sympathy and friendship to Chancellor Angela Merkel and Germany.

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2. Germany - European Union - Death of Helmut Kohl - Communiqué issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (Paris - June 16, 2017)

Germany and Europe have lost a great European and a great patriot who managed to reunify Germany without undoing Europe.

Together with François Mitterrand, to whom his magnificent gesture unites him forever in the national remembrance of Verdun, he worked fervently to reconcile memories. With him and then with Jacques Chirac, the Franco-German partnership was the engine of a confident Europe that brought hope to peoples.

With his passing, a whole generation has also lost one of its most brilliant representatives - that generation of men and women who experienced the horrors of the war in Europe and did everything to ensure we never have to relive them.

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3. Germany - European Union - Death of Helmut Kohl - Statement by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Paris - June 16, 2017)

I was deeply saddened to learn of Helmut Kohl’s passing.

I offer my sincere condolences to his family, and to the authorities and all the people of Germany.

An architect of peace, Helmut Kohl worked with François Mitterrand to build a free, strong and united Europe based on democratic values.

This visionary approach must continue to inspire us for the good of future generations, so that they may flourish.

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4. Morocco - Bilateral relations - Fight against terrorism - Press conference given by M. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic - excerpts (Rabat - June 14, 2017)

(...)

Morocco is indeed a friendly country and a strategic partner for France, and that’s what explains this visit, which I wanted, on the personal invitation of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. This special visit is, I believe—like our France-Morocco relations—based on a common vision and a desire to pursue our joint interests, not only in Morocco but also in the region and, more broadly, in Africa.

First of all I want to thank His Majesty the King for his invitation and the warm welcome given to me and the whole delegation accompanying me. (...)

This evening we discussed, firstly, the many bilateral issues that form the agenda of our relations, and I reaffirmed France’s wish to support, as far as it can, the ambitious reforms currently being conducted by the King: the modernization of the institutions, with the implementation of the institutional reform decided on in 2011; economic emergence, with Morocco’s integration into [trade] networks and globalization; and finally social and regional development, with programs to combat inequality, and the advanced regionalization initiative.

We discussed the economic projects under way, particularly the opening of a factory tomorrow, but also all the many cultural and educational projects marking the relations between our countries now and in the coming months, and the determination—mine at any rate—to develop Francophony even further. Morocco is an important country in this regard, and in Morocco and more broadly throughout Africa I’d like our educational, cultural and linguistic policy to be revisited and more prominent once again.

I then discussed with His Majesty the King several subjects we share: clearly our visions on the Libya conflict and, I believe, our shared determination to find ways and means to stabilize that country, which is a concern in terms of the region’s security and migration routes; and secondly today’s tense situation in the Gulf, where we also reaffirmed, I think, a broadly shared vision consisting in giving priority to stabilizing the region, on the one hand, and combating terrorism and all forms of terrorism financing on the other.

Finally, we discussed Africa policy, in which Morocco is playing a growing role, and we can only welcome Morocco’s incorporation into the African Union and, soon, ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] and the stated desire to cooperate with France in its strategy, which is also one of regional stabilization. I saw a concerned partner determined to join in our efforts to stabilize the Sahel—and I think this is an important factor—and also determined to be very vigilant on all the potential sources of destabilization in Africa.

More broadly, I for one am convinced that France and Morocco today have a common policy to conduct together in Africa, one which will consist in developing, with private entrepreneurs, artists and the worlds of education and culture, a sort of liberation of societies wherever they are flourishing, and rethinking a balanced relationship in Africa drawing strength from civil society.

This is central to the policy of partnership in Africa I’d like to conduct where—alongside the need sometimes to step up security, and the action we’ve got to carry out—there must be a desire for development, a much stronger education policy and also work done with entrepreneurs, civil society and the academic world to enable the very changes under way in Africa today. The King of Morocco and I talked about this too, and I think he shares this vision today.

Finally, we each reaffirmed our commitment to fighting climate change. And so, beyond the diplomatic initiatives which have been taken and which we reconfirmed—i.e. adherence, obviously, to the Paris Agreement—, we clearly want to continue diplomatic initiatives and joint concrete initiatives in Africa which will make it possible to deliver on COP21 and future COPs.

That, in a few words, was the bulk of what we discussed during this first exchange, obviously before we continue in the evening.

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5. United Kingdom - Terrorist attack near a mosque in London - Statement by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Spokesperson (Paris - June 19, 2017)

France utterly condemns the terrorist attack which occurred near Finsbury Park Mosque in London, in the evening of 18 June.

We express our condolences to the bereaved and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

In the face of this new ordeal, France assures Londoners and the British authorities of its solidarity.