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France
This position paper is the position of your country in the 6061 st meeting in the Security Council
about the situation in Israel and Palestine. Your position is however open to change, if you feel you
can agree on less strong statements in a resolution. It is however necessary to understand what
other countries mean by their statements, so you are sure that the statements, you are agreeing
upon, are not compromising your own. Furthermore, note that France is one of the five permanent
members of the Security Council which gives France the right to use its veto on resolutions if they
cannot agree upon them. It is your task to make a 1 minute opening speech based on your positions
given in this paper.
The final part of this document contains a speech held in the Security Council and this speech can
give you an idea to how you should make your opening speech.
Do this in the beginning of session: Right after the roll call (delegations opråb), you should motion
for auxiliary representation of the Palestinian Authority, aiming to include them in the negotiations
and hear their standpoint.
Facts about France:
France has been one of the world's foremost powers since the latter half of the 17th century. In the
18th and 19th centuries, France built one of the largest colonial empires of the time, stretching
across West Africa and Southeast Asia, prominently influencing the cultures and politics of the
regions. France is a developed country, with the eighth largest economy in the world. France is one
of the founding members of the European Union, and has the largest land area of all members.
France is also a founding member of the United Nations, and a member of the Francophonie, the
G8, NATO, and the Latin Union. It is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations
Security Council (and has the right to veto a resolution); it is also an acknowledged nuclear power
with 360 active warheads and 59 nuclear power plants.
General position:
As a permanent member of the Security Council, France has participated directly in many UN
Peacekeeping operations, including in the Middle East. France has an important role to play in the
mediation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, since it maintains close historical and political ties with
both the Israelis and the Palestinians, and it has both the largest Jewish and Arab-Muslim
communities in Europe.
French position in the conflict is clear: Guaranteeing Israel’s security and recognizing the
Palestinians legitimate right to self-determination is the key to resolving the conflict, and all has to
be dealt within the framework of the relevant UN resolutions. Over and above the efforts of France
itself, the European Union has a considerable role because of its ties with the Middle East. Indeed,
the Europeans are chiefly responsible for the establishment of the Quartet on the Middle East and
the implementation of the Road Map. For the Israeli part, France has demanded respect to the
Roadmap and, in particular, the removal of the West Bank settlements. Israel must also understand
that the economic development of Gaza is essential for peace in the region.
France’s relations to other SC members
For France it is of high importance that the EU countries maintain a united standpoint, and that the
EU plays a central role in this matter. France will remain in close contact with the other EU