Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

The French Foreign Minister Alain JuppΓ© has spoken to HARDtalk ' s Stephen Sackur in Paris about a range of topics including the future of the EU and the euro, Libya and Syria.

The following are key quotes from this interview. Please credit HARDtalk/Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World News. The full interview broadcasts on Thursday 23 June on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World News , 2030GMT

Stephen Sackur - SS
Alain JuppΓ© - AJ

On the future of the EU:

AJ: The situation in Europe is difficult at the moment, especially the economic and financial situation. The impact of the crisis has been very strong on some European economies , and some mistakes have been made by some of our partners in the EU , and they have to pay back now for that. But there is a very strong determination among the member states to save what we have done since 50 years all together , and that's why the relevant decisions will be taken to strengthen the Eurozone , and to strengthen the European Union generally speaking.

SS: But do you think it is as serious as that, that what has been achieved as you put it , over 50 years is really at stake now?

AJ: No, I don't think so because we have no choice. If the Eurozone disappeared, the EU by itself will be in danger and we cannot afford such a situation because there is no future for our countries in the globalised world if the EU doesn't go forward.

SS: But do you accept and let's be specific, do you accept that Greece will ultimately default on its debts?

AJ: No, no, there will not be any default of Greece and we'll take the good decision to avoid that. The last council of ministers is very clear on this point.

On the future of the Euro

AJ: I think that the future of the Eurozone is a kind, an idea of the world of federalism. You can't have a single currency without a budget – a financial, fiscal integrated policy - so I think that the good answer to the crisis is not the collapse of the e uro , but on the contrary more integration among us and I think that we will surprise you. I know that there is a lot of scepticism about Europe, it's not new, it's the case since the creation of the EU. We have no choice ; imagine just a minute what will happen in Greece if the d rachma would replace the euro, the Greek debt will remain written in e uros and so would be multiplicated [multiplied] by two or three times if the new d rachma collapsed on the market so it's impossible to end such an issue, such an outcome and that is why we will find a way to help Greece overpass, overcome the present crisis.

On Prime Minister David Cameron's comments on bailing out the EU

AJ: I think that even for countries which do not belong to the Eurozone, there is a question of solidarity. To which economic zone, to which countries goes the most part of British export? I am sure it is to the EU, so it's not in the interest of Great Britain to see the Eurozone and the EU in general collapsing. And so that's why I think we'll find, especially for the financial perspective of the EU, common bases and agreements among us .

On Libya

SS: Your objective and you mentioned it to me already, is that Gaddafi must go. So your message today…

AJ: Yes of course, but everybody share this view, the Americans say that, the EU unanimous say that, the Contact Group say that and many African leaders like, for example, the President of Senegal Wade , said exactly the same thing.

On Syria

AJ: We have no double standard policy, but up to Assad to prove, to show now he's able to implement a real programme of reform. Personally…

SS: So what is this point of no return then?

AJ: Personally I don't think so, and that's why I spoke about the point of no return.

SS: So why doesn't France take the lead as you did in Libya and say, maybe provide a lead to Barack Obama and others, and say: for as far as we are concerned, Bashar Al Assad must go and he is no longer the legitimate leader of Syria?

AJ: For the same reasons as in Libya and it's very clear: we don't accept leaders in countries who repress the demonstrations of the population by violence and by using heavy weapons – tanks and bombs and planes- against the civil population. We have exactly the same line on the two points, and that's why I said that about Bashar Al-Assad and that's why France get, got a resolution, a list of sanctions in the European Union, including the name of Bashar Al- Assad.

To top