Afran : French FM visits Burkina Faso to boost cooperation
on 2010/1/12 11:57:41
Afran

20100111

OUAGADOUGOU, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner arrived in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, on Sunday for a visit to boost bilateral relations and cooperation in security affairs.

The French top diplomat was on an African trip which also took him to Rwanda and the Republic of Congo Brazzaville.

Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore held a meeting of more than an hour with the visiting French minister on issues of cooperation and security in the West African region, the government said.

Kouchner said he exchanged views with Compaore on a number of issues about the Great Lakes region, the intervention of regional crises by the United Nations and the re-establishment of relations with Rwanda.

On the Guinea crisis, Kouchner expressed hope that an African solution could be found because "it's with the African Union that we began the journey and without it, the international community cannot do anything. It's upon the Guinean people and the African community to control the situation during the transition and electioneering period."

Kouchner also made it clear that with the current situation in Guinea and an interim government in power, the next elections are likely to be based on a second plan of its facilitator Compaore.

According to the French minister, the facilitator assured him that the consultations will be organized within the West African bloc ECOWAS in the coming week.

The talks between President Compaore and Kouchner also touched on the insecurity in the Sahelian strip and the difficulties facing countries in the Sahel region in fighting terrorism, especially in cases of abduction.

"France will do what she can together with her allies and friends so that precaution is taken," Kouchner said, noting that there are risks to be taken and this demands action from everyone.

In the face of this situation, France and Burkina Faso reaffirmed their willingness to work together for the regional security, according to officials of both countries.

The celebration of fifty years of independence for some African countries in 2010 was another topic between the two men. Kouchner said these were African celebrations and that he will in a friendly manner and with complicity watch Africans during the celebrations.

The Burkinabe minister of state for foreign affairs and regional cooperation, Alain B. Yoda, spoke highly of bilateral relations.

"Whether it's in the field of cooperation in the international organizations or bilateral cooperation, things are going on very well," Yoda said.

On the French relations with Cote d'lvoire, Togo, Guinea and the Sahel-Sahara strip, Yoda said there are historical, economic and strategic reasons for France to be interested in the affairs of Francophone African.

But Yoda pointed out the solution to African problems will have to come from Africans themselves and that Burkina Faso was committed to the American mission.

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