French President Expresses Confidence in Chadian Judiciary

Nov 05, 02:14 AM

Current Headlines: French President Nicholas Sarkozy has said the Zoe's Ark affair, in which the NGO attempted to fly some 100 children to France, will not affect the deployment of EU troops to eastern Chad, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported on 5 November.

"I want to note with pleasure - and express to President Deby my approval with the handling of the issue- that relations between Chad and France are fine. And that this lamentable incident has nothing to do with the deployment of the European force to Chad at the border with Sudan, an operation which Idriss Deby and I have discussed for a long time, an operation that has the total support of the Chadian government and which shows the mutual trust between our two governments," Sarkozy said at a joint news conference with Chadian President Idriss Deby.

The French president made a brief visit to Chad yesterday and secured the release of three French journalists and four Spanish air hostesses, among 17 Europeans accused of attempted kidnapping in the case.

Sarkozy also expressed confidence in the Chadian judiciary saying that "France has confidence in the Chadian state and the Chadian judiciary. Chad is a sovereign state, the Chadian judiciary has its own procedures and its own timetable and France respects these procedures."

On the other hand, President Deby denied being pressured by France to release the seven Europeans saying judicial authorities worked independently.

"The case was brought before magistrates on 25 [October] and it is not a case that needed to be delayed at the judicial level because there is a difference between a case that needs investigation and a case in which people are caught red-handed. Therefore I believe the magistrates worked independently to arrive at the decision of releasing the air hostesses. Note also that the journalists collaborated with judicial authorities and yes, they have been released because they defended themselves. That is justice, " Deby said.

Originally published by Radio France Internationale, Paris, in French 0530 5 Nov 07.

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