Visit by Jean-Yves Le Drian to Berlin (19 Jun. 20)
Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will visit Berlin on June 19, at the invitation of his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, German Minister of Foreign Affairs, for bilateral consultations and then a ministerial meeting in the E3 format with their British counterpart, Dominic Raab, devoted to the Iranian issue.
This visit to Germany is consistent with the close cooperation that has prevailed between the two ministers over the last few months in the context of the health crisis. Following the lifting of the restrictions on movement at our shared border, the minister and his counterpart will exchange views regarding the details of the gradual lifting of the EU external border controls from July 1, if the health situation allows, following the European Commission’s proposals.
This visit is also taking place shortly before the start of Germany’s presidency of the EU Council of Ministers in the second half of 2020. Jean-Yves Le Drian will discuss with his German counterpart key European and international issues as well as the prospects for increased cooperation between our two countries within the framework of the priorities that Germany would like to highlight over the next six months. With respect to international issues, the minister will notably draw attention to the situation in the Sahel, the Middle East peace process, relations with Turkey and the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, the Libyan and Iranian issues, as well as relations between the EU and China.
The two ministers will also discuss cooperation between Germany and France at the UN, with Germany assuming the Security Council presidency in July, following France, and their common efforts to strengthen the multilateral system and global health architecture.
The ministerial meeting in the E3 format focusing on the Iranian nuclear issue will offer an opportunity to discuss the European strategy over the coming months. In this regard, Mr. Le Drian will emphasize our goal of preserving the 2015 Vienna nuclear agreement, which is vital to the global nonproliferation system, and our shared desire to see Iran abide by its obligations in this matter. The Minister will also address our cooperation with respect to the International Atomic Energy Agency, our continued support for the IAEA, and our expectations with regard to Iran’s full and prompt cooperation with the Agency.