“A friendly dinner”. It was so named Emmanuel macron “private” meeting with Donald trump and his wife on the 2nd floor of the Eiffel tower. The same thing he was confirmed in conversation with journalists JDD: “the Situation dictates. Times our countries have friendly relations, we have become friends. With trump, we began to build relationships based on closer personal acquaintance and to build confidence on all strategic issues, including those where we have differences.”
To speak with everyone, to give Europe a second wind to lead France. Such goals Emmanuel Macron, who is committed to act at once on all fronts. The President says that after the election pays half the time, international topics, however, consider it necessary to clarify that the purpose of its foreign policy and started reforms in the country are inextricably linked. After a busy week, which was marked by the visits of Angela Merkel and Donald trump to Paris parade July 14, and activities in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in nice the head of state looked tired, but not lost the optimistic spirit. He told reporters about the relationship with his us counterpart, talks with Mr Putin and Angela Merkel, the views on the transformation of the world.
Trump — the need to “be friends”
In dealing with Donald trump (he’s older than his 31 years) President of France made a bet on the historic friendship of the two countries. In late may he called a manly handshake American colleagues the moment of truth. In Paris on display have been exhibited slightly simulated arms, which was to emphasize the common heritage and allied relations of the two countries. This explains the visit to the nursing Home: a personal decision, says macron, who took on the role of tour guide. “I wanted to emphasize the historical sequence of France, he explains. We never did not humbly accept our fate, including during the First world war.” The heads of state recalled that General Pershing (commander landed in France in 1917, American troops), and also noted the “best Thomas Jefferson in France, which led him to the construction of the residence Monticello in Virginia”. “It was important to show that our two countries there are very strong human and civilizational ties.”
Among the differences the most serious is still the climate. Whatever it was, the President of France is trying to remain optimistic, especially after listening to the Thursday sentence of his American colleagues that the American position “something is possible”. “Donald trump listened to me. He understood the essence of my initiative, in particular the link between climate warming and terrorism. He said he will try to find a solution in the coming months. We talked in detail about that would allow him to return to the Paris agreement. I think he saw the mobilization of cities, States, the business community and its own environment for the preservation of the active role of the U.S. in the fight against climate warming. It is important to maintain dialogue to ensure that the United States was able in the future to return to the field of climate change and to rely on a multilateral approach.”
This dialogue continued on Thursday evening at the Eiffel tower (another personal decision of the President): dinner with Melania and Brigitte at the restaurant Alain Ducasse (Alain Ducasse). “One of the objectives of this visit was to give the Americans a clearer idea of France and Paris, says Emmanuel macron. Is important given the fall of their tourist attractiveness over the past year because of the terrorist attacks. I chose the Eiffel tower to draw more open and attractive portrait of Paris, our country and its economy.” “I think at the end of the visit, Donald trump prevailed in the mind the best way of France than at its beginning” — with a smile said the President. The two leaders agreed to hold a conversation in the near future to discuss the escalating events in the middle East, where our army fighting against ISIS (banned in Russia as a terrorist organization — approx. ed.) for the future of Iraq and Syria. “We need a strategic dialogue with the United States. My goal with Donald trump — to focus on Franco-American friendship, which helps protect our values of democracy and freedom. It is important to talk to him and not let him have formed opportunistic alliances with other countries, which can undermine such important international rules for us”.
Putin and the “red lines”
Does Russia these “other countries”? He doesn’t want to talk about relations between the U.S. and Russia, but stops on the Russian intervention in the elections, as France was also affected. “The issue of Russian intervention in the French campaign was virtually the only topic of our first telephone conversation. I told him about my arms facts in relation to hacker attacks and the conduct of several media.” If they managed to turn the page after a meeting in Versailles on may 29? “These topics should not affect our bilateral relations. The key is to establish a Protocol to prevent recurrence of attacks. We’re working on it. The Russian argument is that we are not talking about the actions of official agencies. To verify this, you need to establish communication between our official services…” In what form and with what safeguards? The President stops. The topic is too sensitive. He knows that French intelligence services are closely monitoring the activities of Russian agents in France.
If he is trying to get France a place at the table of negotiations about the future of Syria? “Putin — an ally of Bashar al-Assad. My position is that I do not consider the removal of Assad as a precondition for everything else and seek to find a way to restore the region and to eradicate terrorism. This is a change of course compared to my predecessor”. Anyway, all this is accompanied by two “red lines”: “I will be very hard on the issue of chemical weapons. If it floated, I will answer. And I had the necessary capabilities before I said it”. The second point: “I demand humanitarian access to rescue civilians in combat zones”. “I can’t not mention that after the meeting at Versailles we have moved forward on these two points, he continues. — The scene the cooperation between our intelligence on these issues has changed dramatically.” Is that enough to resume work closed six years ago, the French Embassy in Damascus? Would make it a violation of the ban? The Elysee Palace said that the question at the moment is not on the agenda.
Merkel — “an ongoing dialogue”
Terrorism has become the main theme of his meetings with Donald trump, Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu and Angela Merkel. In this environment, the interior Ministers of France and Germany were invited on Thursday morning held in Paris the General defence Council. Macron is committed to intensify cooperation with the Chancellor on migrants, asylum and terrorism. Merkel is now actively engaged in election campaign (elections will be held on September 24), that does not prevent them to maintain almost daily contact.
“Angela Merkel has developed a direct, open, friendly and continuous dialogue, — said the President. — We have revived the approach of the time of françois Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl: a preparation of common positions before meetings of the European Council. Thus we gain time and strengthen impact.” In addition, Merkel “agreed to take into account the important task” of his campaign for social protection measures in Europe. “She agreed that it was not only her struggle, in particular in questions of working abroad and social dumping. I’m trying to achieve this in collaboration with all other Europeans and will actively work throughout the summer in the hope to obtain results before the end of the year.” As he has repeatedly said during the presidential campaign, and says still, Europe is not only a goal but also (primarily) tool.
