France hits back at Short's blast


Short: 'France and EU stand in the way of reform'

France's ambassador to Britain has defended his country's record on Africa
following an attack by a British minister.


The problem in Africa is so serious that we have to surmount old rivalries

Daniel Bernard, French ambassador
International development secretary Clare Short reportedly accused France
and the EU of a "conspiracy" to keep Africa in poverty.

She was quoted in the Daily Telegraph newspaper as saying British-backed
proposals to dismantle trade barriers between Africa and Europe were being
undermined by French and EU protectionism.

But the French ambassador Daniel Bernard said France was fully engaged in
negotiations to end tariffs and on other issues included in the Tony
Blair-backed New Partnership on African Development (NAPAD).

Mr Blair is attempting to secure French approval for NAPAD ahead of the next
G8 group of industrialised nations meeting later this year.

'French intransigence'

Mr Bernard said it had gone unnoticed in Britain that France had already
removed trade barriers for Africa's least developed countries.



Europe is a bag of tricks about this at the moment

Clare Short
"We have started working together with the British because we think the
problem in Africa is so serious that we have to surmount old rivalries," he
told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He denied that Ms Short's alleged comments reflected a wider frustration
with French intransigence on trade issues.

"We can only rely on the official position of the British government and
that is, I think, extremely close to the French position on the future of
Africa," Mr Bernard said.

'Big power blocks'

Ms Short reportedly made her comments last week during a four day visit to
Africa with the prime minister.

She told the Telegraph there were "big power blocks" in the way of an
agreement on free trade.

"Europe is a bag of tricks about this at the moment.

"It's a conspiracy from France and the EU to lock Africa into poverty, and
at the same time Europe preaches free trade," she reportedly said.

Asked to comment on Ms Short's reported remarks, Mr Blair told the
Telegraph: "I don't want to get into a diplomatic row with France."







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