Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron and US State Minister Antony Blinken met on Tuesday to explore the potential of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and others when Biden administration moves to repair damage due to new security initiatives.
A senior US state official said the two discussed the possibility of a joint project that was announced by Macron and President Joe Biden when they met at the end of this month on the date and have not been decided.
The official did not describe what the projects were.
The official spoke to reporters on anonymous terms to discuss closed door talks between Macron and Blinken at the Ellysee Palace which had not yet appeared on the official Blinken schedule for that day.
The meeting was about 40 minutes, one-on-one came in the midst of France’s demands for the US to restore the trust that broke out with the announcement of the three-way Indo-Pacific Agreement between Australia, England and the US, known as the aukus.
US officials have acknowledged that the announcement was handled poorly and could benefit from coordination with France and other members of the European Union, all of which were issued.
And, when they also indicate the desire to make up for mistakes, they have suggested French anger is an excessive reaction.
France responded with anger on the announcement which also swung the multilibilion submarine contract owned by Australia, and briefly considered its ambassador to Washington and Canberra in the appearance of an unprecedented pique.
French officials call it stabbed behind the Allies and expressed disappointment that it had happened after Biden stated “America back” and promised to recover and appreciate the trans-Atlantic relationship that had deteriorated during the government.
French has said repeatedly will take a lot of time and work to overcome the cracks and that the incident underlines the European need to develop its own security and defense plan and adopt European strategies to fight the challenges that grow from China.
Blinken was in the French capital for the two-day international economic conference which had been overshadowed by the aukus controversy that erupted on September 15 with the project announcement.
Ahead of his visit, the second to France as the Secretary of State but first since he broke out, Blinken met Friday with the French Ambassador Philippe Etienne on his waksman to Washington after being called back to Paris by Macron.
Blinken, a fluent French speaker who grew and went to high school in Paris, has expressed disappointment that France has reacted hard against the aukus.
He and other people have suggested several levels of French anger related to French domestic politics and shift dynamics in the EU, who will soon see Angela Merkel depart as a German leader after 16 years in power.
Blinken’s visit followed September phone calls between Biden and Macron, who had agreed to try to calm the problem.
The reason for the Blinken trip to France, which has been well planned before the Aukus Ruckus, is to overcome the meeting of the minister of Paris-based organization for economic cooperation and development on Tuesday and Wednesday on climate change and security.
Former State Secretary and US climate envoy Currently John Kerry also attended OECD talks, which lasted only a few weeks before the next international conference supported by the climate, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Blinken meets Macron when we try to heal Rift with France
