Date : 25/09/2006
KUN0047 4 GEN 0333 FRANCE /AFP -REX8
FRANCE-MAURITANIA-TALKS
France, Mauritania to hold political, economic talks
PARIS, Sept 25 (KUNA) -- France and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania are
scheduled to begin two days of political and economic talks in Paris Tuesday
during the visit here of Mauritanian President Ely Ould Mohammed Vall,
official sources announced.
The Mauritanian leader will meet with President Jacques Chirac to discuss a
number of bilateral, regional, and international issues and the contentious
issue of the Western Sahara is likely to be high on the agenda.
The Western Sahara is at the center of an ongoing tussle between Morocco
and the Polisario guerrilla movement and Mauritania is also a local actor that
has had influence in the dispute.
Morocco claims the Western Sahara region and has been fighting the
Polisario for decades without managing to take full control of the vast region.
The Mauritanian President will also hold talks with French Cooperation and
Development Minister Brigitte Girardin and France expressed satisfaction at
the "good results obtained by the government in matters of economic and
financial reform."
In this respect, talks will also be held between the Mauritanian delegation
and the French Business Federation (MEDEF) to discuss potential investment,
trade and economic cooperation.
The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it hoped the business
meeting would provide "useful contacts" for the two sides.
It noted that Girardin had paid a visit to Mauritania August 30-31 and had
signed two important financial accords for development projects in that
country.
France said Monday that it was following Mauritania's democratization
policy and that it fully "encouraged and supported" this process.
French authorities will be recalling to the Mauritanian leader the need to
stick to commitments he made in August, 2005, to set out an electoral
timetable and for the government to remain neutral during the transition
period.(end)
Jk.wsa
KUNA 251612 Sep 06NNNN