The French EU presidency has distanced itself from controversial remarks on human rights by French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner, while defending France's foreign policy record at the EU helm.
"There's a permanent contradiction between human rights and the foreign policy of a country, even of France," Mr Kouchner told French daily Le Parisien on Wednesday (10 December).
"One cannot direct the foreign policy of a country based only on human rights. To govern a country one obvi...
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.