The French-American Foundation Weekly Brief

The French-American Foundation reviews what’s happened in France this week.

On Sunday, April 11, the Taliban in Afghanistan released new footage of kidnapped French hostages, according to Agence France Presse. The two reporters, Stephane Taponnier and Herve Ghesquiere from France 3 television, were captured by the group in December 2009. In the video Taliban spokesman, Abdullah al-Wazir, demands French President Nicolas Sarkozy release Taliban prisoners in exchange for the journalists, or they will be killed. The two reporters are also forced to read statements on camera saying if the Taliban’s ultimatum is not met, they will soon be executed.

Marine Le Pen, daughter of the French far right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen, announced Tuesday, April 13, that she hopes to take over the National Front party from her father ahead of the 2012 presidential elections. The party is to hold a leadership election in January 2011 and Le Pen will likely be opposed by Bruno Gollnisch, a longtime ally of her father, according to the BBC. However, France 24 reports that most experts expect Le Pen to prevail.  Mr. Le Pen founded the rightwing National Front in 1971.

While in Paris Tuesday, April 13 for a three-day state visit, Israeli President Simon Peres attacked Syria over its “hypocritical” policies of claiming it wants peace, while selling Scud missiles to the militant group Hezbollah at the same time. The Israeli leader also thanked France for “the extraordinary role that it constantly plays in the peace process” and stated “We should help create a Palestinian state, it’s in Israel’s interest”, according to Agence France Presse.  Peres was in Paris as a guest of President Nicolas Sarkozy and Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, to inaugurate the Ben-Gurion Promenade, commemorating David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel. The ceremony was protested by anti-Israel activists and members of the French Communist party.

French prosecutors launched a tax evasion investigation, Wednesday, April 14, based on files stolen by an ex-employee of HSBC’s private Swiss client bank. Prosecutor Eric de Montgolfier told reporters that his department has identified 8,231 accounts held by French nationals, plus tens of thousands more from other countries. However, HSBC claims the figures are “massively overstated”, according to the Telegraph.  De Montgolfier’s team is looking into the accounts for evidence of money laundering and has already passed details onto tax authorities.  The French probe comes as the United States and some European countries have recently cracked down on tax evasion through the use of overseas accounts.

International news agencies including Agence France Presse, Reuters, the Associated Press and Getty TV, boycotted the Cannes Film Festival’s Paris press conference on Thursday, April 15. The dispute is over TV rights, with the festival planning to restrict video news-gathering due to a contract between the organizers and French broadcaster Canal Plus and pay-TV service Orange.

U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson traveled to France last  week, where he  spoke at the French-American Foundation Symposium about “Transnational Security Challenges in Africa.” The Assistant Secretary  also  met with various French officials. Following his visit to Paris, Carson will continue to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Congo and the United Kingdom, where he will also meet with high ranking officials.