AMB. SMESSOV: FRANCE HAS INITIAL FOUR PRIORITIES FOR SIX-MONTH EU PRESIDENCY

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.07.2008 16:34 GMT+04:00

France’s initial four priorities for the six-month Presidency – energy
and climate change, immigration, defense, and a review of the EU’s
farm policy. A major "energy-climate package" will be presented by
the end of 2008 and then considered during the EU Climate Conference
in Copenhagen in 2009, France’s Ambassador to Armenia Serge Smessov
said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"France will also seek to promote nuclear energy as an important energy
source to ensure diversification and security of supply. A key focus
will be on the development of nuclear equipment safety and the issue
of waste management," he said.

"France wants to make progress on a common European immigration policy
during its presidency, with the sensitive issue of illegal immigration
top of its list. The planned "immigration pact" would rely on three
pillars: the refusal of ‘en masse’ regularizations, a harmonization of
asylum policies and rules for the return of illegal immigrants. The
pact will be submitted to the EU heads of state and governments in
October with a purpose to encourage the migration policy."

According to him, amid highly important issues is the farm policy,
which includes food independence, decrease of food expenditure
inequality, sustainable development, ecology protection, high quality
and safety.

As to European security and defense, he said, France doesn’t possess
means for participation in global processes but follows the principle
of compatibility with NATO.

"Problems in Balkans, Middle East, Asia and Oceania will also be in
focus. Besides, the Irish ‘No’ pushed the Lisbon Treaty at the very top
of an already busy agenda. However, these priorities do not restrict
attention to other international issues," the Ambassador resumed.