Questioned by Mediapart on the issues raised by this report, the French prime minister’s office responded with the following statement (in French and translated here by Mediapart), which is also cited in part in the article:
France exercises a strict, transparent and responsible control of exports of war equipment:
- A strict control, which is based on a thorough inter-ministerial study, of which the aim is to evaluate the totality of the operational aspects envisaged. This study is completed in advance of authorisations. The process of control procedures is founded on an expert analysis of the geopolitical, security and human impact of the transfers. It notably concerns the respect of our international engagements (embargos, treaties concerning the banning of a category of weapons), the behaviour of a country of destination (the respect of human rights and international humanitarian law), its internal situation (the existence of a repressive threat), the existence of tensions or open conflicts) but also our own direct interests about security and preservation of regional stability, our cooperation, notably in matters of defence, and the coherence regarding the equipment in question and the requirement presented. This depends upon the expert appraisals of different ministries and government services.
- A responsible control, for the totality of transfers comes under the framework of imperative requirements linked to national security but also the respect of France’s international engagements, some of which impose upon it specific requirements. France is a permanent member of the [UN] Security Council, of NATO, of the EU, [and] of the four international organs of control of exportations, and has ratified all international agreements which regulate the trade of arms. In this matter, the control applied by France is one of the most thorough in the world. These agreements are strictly and faithfully implemented, and France contributes to the activity of their work. Among the world’s largest exporters of weapons, few have made such a demanding choice. Authorised exportations, furthermore, are subject to a specific framework of measures which notably aim to limit the threat of misappropriation.
- A transparent control: all data on French exportations is available online and updated annually in the framework of the report to Parliament and the report by France to the Arms Trade Treaty. This data concerns the strategic context, the framework of regulations, and statistical information. There, too, few have made this choice among the world’s largest exporters. The confidentiality requirements with regard to the considerations of inter-ministerial deliberations are obviously not aimed at hiding information, but rather to preserve sensitive data, which is essential for the precise and factual study of [relevant] dossiers, before their authorisation.
The question of the use of arms is evaluated at the time of the evaluation of their request for authorisation (ahead of the delivery of a licence). These are thus a part of the criteria for analysis, as required by the Arms Trade Treaty and the common standpoint 2008/944/PESC. The authorisation is granted conditional to the information available at the moment of this study: if the available information does not allow for a conclusion, the request is adjourned for the necessary time to collect supplementary elements to reach a decision. In accordance with Articles 6 and 7 of the Arms Trade Treaty, a risk evaluation is carried out and a decision is made on eventual framework measures. In every case, the analysis is always carried out case-by-case and notably with regard to the risks linked to the use of weapons.
If the conditions of use, as envisaged at the time of the granting of authorisation, evolve, France then endeavours to transmit adequate messages and to act in every manner possible to lead to a de-escalation, in conformity with its role as a permanent member of the [UN] Security Council and with the fundamental principles of its diplomacy. The provisions of the defence regulations regarding the suspension or abrogation of licences have in fact been used on several occasions over recent years, as also risk remediation measures concerning the usage of weapons.
Also questioned by Mediapart on the issues raised by this report, the Council of French Defence Industries, CIDEF, which represents France’s principal weapons manufacturers, responded with the following statement (in French and translated here by Mediapart):
The actions of [weapons manufacturing] industrialists is carried out in the strict framework of French regulations concerning the sale of military equipment for exportation. No sale of systems is carried out without a prior authorisation delivered by an inter-ministerial commission under the auspices of the Prime Minister and presided by the Secretary General of Defence and National Security. The industrialists have the will to apply the law in all its strict and large application and situate themselves in the respect of international principles relating to human rights and those of companies.
The CIDEF (Council of French Defence Industries) is an association that brings together the professional groups of the French defence industry: the GIFAS (the group of French aeronautical and aerospace industries), the GICAT (the group of French defence and land, and air-and land, industries) and the GICAN (the group of naval construction and activities industries).