Daily Press Briefing

Statements made by

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson

(excerpts)

(Paris, October 29, 2007)

[Please note that only the original French text issued by the

French Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be considered official.

Today : CHAD/ ZOE’S ARK, DARFUR, ISRAEL/TERRITORIES, LEBANON

CHAD/ ZOE’S ARK

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Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Secretary Rama Yade will hold a working meeting today at 3 p.m. with the NGOs and international humanitarian organizations active in Darfur in child protection in order to assess the consequences of the Zoë’s Ark/Children Rescue affair on humanitarian work.

Q - Are you asking the Chadian authorities for the immediate release of the French journalists who have been detained for four days after being arrested while doing their job, as Reporters Without Borders is demanding?

We alerted the Chadian authorities immediately that there were journalists among the French citizens who’d been arrested and asked them to respect their professional status. The minister made a particular point of this during his conversation with President Deby.

Q - Do you have any information about the situation of the seven Spanish nationals arrested in Abéché? Do you think that as airplane crew members their case is distinct from that of Zoë’s Ark officials?

If you’re referring to the conditions in which the Spanish citizens are being held, they are in the same situation as our own nationals, according to our representatives on the spot. As for your second question, that will be a matter for the judicial authorities to decide.

Q - Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno has speculated several times whether the purpose of the operation to fly 103 children out from Abéché to France was to “sell them or kill them and remove their organs” and whether it had been organized by “pedophile NGOs.” Have you asked the Chadian authorities to explain these comments?

President Sarkozy and the minister spoke with President Deby about the whole business. It is now up to the judicial authorities to decide.

DARFUR

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Q - Do you think the negotiations in Sirte on peace in Darfur are last ditch talks?

Why do you call them last ditch talks? The discussions in Sirte have just started. They will be going on for several weeks. We are doing everything possible to ensure that participation is as broad as possible so as to reach a lasting solution accepted by all.