French Foreign Minister Lalliot comes up clueless on Bahrain

France notes “with satisfaction” ongoing Bahraini reform efforts
26 November, 2012 – Kuwait News Agency

PARIS, Nov 26 (KUNA) — France said on Monday that it had noted “with satisfaction” the decision of the highest Bahraini authorities to implement reform recommendations made last year and urged continuing efforts to fully implement the independent report submitted at that time by Sharif Bassiouni.

“We praised the initiative of King Hamad in July 2011 to put in place an independent commission of enquiry…destined to shed light on human rights violations during the events of February and March 2011,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said in a briefing.

“We also noted with satisfaction the decision of the highest Bahraini authorities to implement the recommendations formulated by the commission of enquiry in the report submitted a year ago,” the official added.

Lalliot said that certain measures have been taken and France called for all the recommendations to be adopted.

“Such a gesture is an indispensable element to favour reconciliation and create conditions for lasting calm in Bahrain,” the spokesman stated.

“All parties must, incidentally, refuse recourse to violence. In this regard, we have taken note, with interest, of the ‘statement on non-violence’ formulated by five political associations from the opposition, proposing to all an agreement for a political action framework respecting the principle of pluralism”.