FRANCE: To the displeasure of the Élysée Palace, English language coverage of the 22nd bi-annual France-Africa Summit, which ended here yesterday, was dominated to the end by the awkward presence of the Zimbabwean President Mr Robert Mugabe.
"France is fighting for law, morality and mutual respect," Mr Chirac said at the closing press conference when asked about attacks against him in the British press. The worst offender, the Sun, was at it again yesterday, publishing a photograph of Mr Chirac and Mr Mugabe shaking hands with the caption, "Now wash your hands (both of you)". Mr Mugabe celebrated his 79th birthday at the Plaza Athénée Hotel, one of the world's finest, with his young wife Grace and an entourage of about 20, most of whom are usually banned from travelling to Europe.
But Mr Chirac received support from an unexpected quarter, the former African affairs adviser to the late president Francois Mitterrand, Mr Guy Penne. Mr Mugabe's dictatorial behaviour "didn't start yesterday", Mr Penne told Libération, "and we didn't hear the British protest until he started expropriating white farmers' land". If Mr Mugabe changes policy on returning to Harare, Mr Penne concluded, "everybody will be glad he came to the summit". The arrival yesterday of the Ivorian rebel leader Mr Guillaume Soro created hope that the month-old Marcoussis accords, which were meant to end the civil war in Ivory Coast, may yet be salvaged. President Laurent Gbagbo did not attend the summit but sent his new Prime Minister, Mr Seydou Diarra, who will attempt to form a "government of national reconciliation" in talks with Mr Soro.
Mr Gbagbo angered Paris by refusing to implement the agreement he signed. Mr Chirac raised pressure on Mr Gbagbo during the summit, saying "the death squads are a reality" and "the whole thing could end up before international tribunals".
French media accuse Mr Gbagbo's wife Simone of using death squads to eliminate opponents.
The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, who also attended the summit, announced he will send a UN commission to investigate all atrocities since the war started on September 19th.
Three of the African states represented in Paris - Guinea, Angola and Cameroon - are temporary members of the UN Security Council, and Guinea will hold the presidency from March 1st. While Mr Chirac secured a unanimous endorsement of his Iraq policy at the summit, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr Walter Kansteiner, began a visit to the three capitals whose vote Washington may need for a resolution on Iraq next week.
Guinea relies on US military aid, but is French-speaking. Angola is believed susceptible to US pressure, and Cameroon is securely within the French sphere of influence.
At the close of the summit, Mr Chirac explained his concept of a "new partnership" between France and Africa. In crisis management, development co-operation and protection of the environment: "France wants to accompany; not dictate."
Paris will emphasise regional rather than bi-lateral ties, and will "defend principles and not situations", Mr Chirac said, promising to be "the indefatigable advocate of Africa". Mr Chirac has named the former French ambassador to Dublin, Mr Henri Benoît de Coignac, as special envoy to peace negotiations between the Sudanese government of Gen Omar Hassan al-Bashir and Christian rebels in the south, led by Mr John Garang.
