Wiesenthal Centre Receives Apologies from French Foreign Minister for Antisemitism on Embassy Website

May 10, 2006

CENTRE SIMON WIESENTHAL - SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE - CENTRO SIMON WIESENTHAL
64, avenue Marceau
75008 Paris
Tel. +33 (0) 1 47 23 76 37
Fax:+33(0) 1 47 20 84 01
E-mail:  csweurope@compuserve.com 
Website: http://www.wiesenthal.com

Wiesenthal Centre Receives Apologies from French Foreign Minister for Antisemitism on Embassy Website

Paris

LA LETTRE ORIGINALE EN FRANCAIS EST JOINTE.
Original letter in French is attached.

"TO: Dr. Shimon Samuels, Director for International Relations, Simon Wiesenthal Centre, Paris
FROM: Philippe Douste-Blazy, Minister for Foreign Affairs, French Republic

Paris, 4 May 2006

Mr. Director,

In your letter of 18 April 2006, you drew my attention to the content of a press review published on the website of our Embassy in Morocco.

Daily or weekly, our embassies publish a local press review synthesis of the news.  These press reviews reflect only local press content and cite, in quotes, extracts of articles.  They, of course, carry no endorsement by the French authorities for the content of these articles.

In the case that you mention, apparently the presentation of certain extracts from the article could create a misunderstanding, which I sincerely regret.

This can only lead us to reexamine the very principle of on-line publishing of such press reviews on the sites of our embassies.  I have asked my staff to reflect carefully on the very principle of this exercise, taking into account the spirit of your remarks for which I am grateful.

Yours faithfully,

Philippe Douste-Blazy"

Use this link to read background information on this issue....

For further information, please contact Dr. Samuels at +33 6 09 77 01 58.