12/31/2010Despite sectarian attacks, France confident in Iraqi security capacity
PARIS, Dec 31 (KUNA) -- France said Friday that it was confident the Iraqi authorities were able to ensure security for all citizens in that country and remarked on progress in this area these past years.
Reacting to questions about a spate of sectarian attacks aimed at Iraqi Christians on Thursday and a rising trend in attacks against this community, French officials said that Iraq had improved its performance in protecting all nationals from terrorist attack.
"France, in effect, believed in the capacity of the Iraqi authorities to assure the security of all their citizens and welcomes progress recorded these last years in the fight against terrorism," Foreign Ministry Deputy spokeswoman Christine Fages said.
She subsequently indicated in answer to a KUNA question that France was willing to examine requests from Iraqi Christians for asylum, noting that an ongoing program for Iraq had allowed 1,300 Christians to settle here, not counting members of other communities who were exposed to "an immediate and clear danger" to their lives.
"This possibility (of asylum) of course remains open for particular and well-founded demands, and not in a general manner as that would mean an organized exodus of entire parts of the Iraqi population," the official continued.
France accepts resettlement for foreigners who are in danger in their own countries "due to their opinions, or their religious, ethnic or political affiliation," she stated.
In addition to recognizing the progress in Iraqi efforts, the spokeswoman remarked that France is "concretely supporting" Iraq by "training magistrates, prison guards and policemen" as part of European and bilateral programmes.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2134824&Language=en
