Political relations

France utterly condemns the army’s violent crackdown against the "Forces Vives de Guinée" during a peaceful demonstration in Conakry.

This bloody crackdown is reported to have killed dozens of demonstrators. Several opposition and civil society leaders are reported to have been injured. We assure the Guinean people of our complete solidarity and extend our condolences to the bereaved.

France calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested during this demonstration.

France urges the "Conseil National pour la Démocratie et le Développement" (CNDD) (National Council for the Defence of Democracy) to demonstrate responsibility and to listen to the legitimate aspirations of the Guinean people to choose its leaders democratically.

Captain Dadis Camara, the president of the CNDD, freely pledged to the international community that he would not run in the 2010 presidential elections; his compliance with this commitment is likely to restore peace.

France is consulting with its partners in the European Union and the International Contact Group on Guinea in order to rapidly assess the implications of these events.