Nancy, August 20 2003

Madam:

I have carefully read your letter about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. I am sincerely grateful to you [for contacting me].

I have directly contacted the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dominique De Villepin, and stressed in particular the reason for your concern, which is the scale of this persecution.

Please trust that I will certainly forward the letter of reply that he sends to me with regards to action France will take with this. Madam, I have a high level of respect for you.

[signed]
Claude Gaillard