Rice Remarks With French FM Philippe Douste-Blazy

Remarks With French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
New York City
May 9, 2006

I am delighted to once again welcome my colleague, the French Foreign Minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, who joined me for dinner. This is one of several meals that we've had together. We were, of course, together last night in discussions about how to convince Iran that it must live up to the obligations that the international community has put on it.

We had very fruitful discussions and tonight we will, of course, have an opportunity to discuss further issues, the Middle East, and I think in particular we will have a chance to concentrate on Syria and Lebanon. We -- the United States and France -- have worked very closely together and very hard to see the emergence of a free and democratic and sovereign Lebanon. We have been the sponsors of UN Security Council resolutions and tonight we will review the situation on Lebanon, how to support the sovereign Lebanese Government and how to make certain that Syria lives up to its international obligations.

2006/T13-7

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Released on May 9, 2006

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