Laurent Fabius - Foreign Minister, France HARDtalk

Nigerian city of Kano. The attack was in a predominantly Christian

neighbourhood which has previously been targeted by Boko Haram. Those

are the headlines. France claims it has indications

that the Syrian government has been using chemical weapons in the past

few weeks. The French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, says that

despite handing over most of its chemical weapons stockpile, Syria is

continuing to produce them and use them. He is here in London with the

Foreign Minister 's of ten other countries to discuss new ways of

helping the Syrian opposition but what are they prepared to do and

having backed down from military action last year, how credible is

any threat they can make? Laurent Fabius, welcome to HARDtalk. Thank

you. What evidence do you have that President Assad has been using

chemical weapons? Can you say that you believe that he

is using chlorine? Within weeks of that, the last time

there were credible reports, we came so close to airstrikes on Damascus

that there were reports that France was briefing its pilots. But then

the US and UK backed away. If that had occurred, wood one be using

chemical weapons right now? But do you regret the failure?

And have been asking for more help from you for a long time. You have

had this meeting with ten other Foreign Minister 's. What have you

agreed that you will do? Well, we know that Saudi Arabia,

Qatar and Turkey are providing weapons.

Indeed. But you know that one opposition member has been asking

for more help. Specifically, he is asking for more help with

anti`aircraft weapons, asking in the US.

And where you satisfied? Were you satisfied with the answer? Could he

satisfy you? Will you be providing these anti`aircraft weapons? But

what does that mean, so? You say progress but it's very hard to work

out what progress there can be when nothing changes. I'm... Forgive me

but I'm just not clear. I forgive you but I think you have understood

there are aims that must remain secret. Lakhdar Brahimi, the Special

Envoy, resigned because of a lack of progress in the peace talks. And Ban

Ki`Moon, the UN secretary general, said that it was the international

community that was partly to blame the cause they were hopelessly

divided. So, do you blame Russia for the way

things have spiralled out of control in Syria?

Let's turn to Ukraine, because you have also blamed Russia for the

situation in Ukraine. You have said one month ago that violence breaking

out in the east of the country had originated from Russia.

Sure. We can come back to that, but my question of view was actually

whether you blame Russia for what has happened in Ukraine.

Sure, but ideally, it's a bridge. Instead, it's turning into a

battleground and the Russians and many in the east of the country

would say that because you are supporting a government in Kiev that

is not constitutional and in the words of the Russian Ministry of

Foreign Affairs, has anti`Semites, radicals and neo`fascists running

things there. But you can say is a popular

uprising but what has taken its place? Because what has taken its

place, many people in the east of the country, are very fearful of.

You have talked about how much Russia is responsible for some of

the difficulties in Syria and Ukraine and yet we are in a

situation where France has agreed to sell it two warships. It was a deal

that was struck in 2011, but one is due for delivery next year.

Yes but a warship? One of these warships will be stationed off

Crimea in the Black Sea. We are talking about a warship. We

are talking about military equipment station... Why did you cancel the

sale? Might you cancel the sale? France is in a difficult situation

with this. You are about to sell... I mean, these are assault ships and

legally, you have the ability to stop the handover of the first one

this year and the second one in 2015.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky who was in prison for ten years in Russia are

at least a few months ago said that what his analysis of what we are

seeing is national feelings have been stirred up in Russia that could

lead to problems, not least in the former Soviet state like dystonia,

Latvia, Lithuania. Is this something that you see that could be happening

all along your's eastern coast you have some difficulties, tensions

with Russia as a result of something that is fast getting out of control.

But when you look at where we are and, I don't know whether you would

characterise it as the most dangerous situation when you look at

what we have been in how long... You say that we need to be firm and

united in our positions. Are we in this situation now because the US,

UK, France, we are not and united. Back last year when the it was this

portability of a strike on Syria, do you think it emboldened Russia? But

did it have other consequences? OK. Let's talk about Africa because

we have a situation in Nigeria where France is involved. You have sent

some help out to the President. Should Nigeria agree at to a

prisoner swap which is one of the things that has been requested?

But you have experience, only recently we have had French

journalist released from Syria. And you will know as well that France is

often reported to pay to be secure the release of... It is absolutely

not true? France has never paid or overseen the payment? Because many

people suspect you say that but actually that you do do deals.

But there has to be some form of negotiations and ultimately,

negotiations lead to some form of deal, don't they?

So you don't... And are you confident that President Goodluck

Jonathan has the ability to deal with it because as you know there

are people in Nigeria that aren't so sure.

It is not an endorsement. Everybody hopes it to be true but they may not

think that it is. Laurent Fabius, thank you for coming

on HARDtalk. My pleasure. For most of us, is back to work but

if you enjoyed about weekend heat, the good news is that the weather

will last into Monday so you may be able to grab lunchtime outside.

However, it will turn unsettled by the time we get to Tuesday and

Wednesday. More cloud and the chance of catching some