Speaking this Wednesday morning at a press conference at the end of the G20 summit in Indonesia, Emmanuel Macron spoke about the war in Ukraine but also his relations with China. The meeting of Heads of State was disrupted by the fall of missiles in Poland, the origin of which is still unconfirmed. Inevitably the French president was questioned on the subject and relativized the information attributing these shots to the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense. In the process, he also called on Iran “to respect regional stability”, referring to “the bombardments in recent days on Iraqi soil”. From kyiv to Moscow via Tehran and Beijing, the French president toured Franco-rest of the world relations. 20 minutes gives you a recap of Emmanuel Macron’s speech.
“A space of convergence” on the war in Ukraine
“There is a space for convergence, including with the major emerging countries, China and India, to push Russia to de-escalate,” insisted Emmanuel Macron. Despite the divisions between its members, “the G20 has not averted its gaze from the war in Ukraine”, he added before continuing: “Russia must now hear the message that has been very clearly sent to it by the international community gathered here and return to the negotiating table. »
Emmanuel Macron said he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after “a terrible day for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people”, with “more than 85 missiles” having hit civilian infrastructure. He relativized the information attributing the fall of a missile in Poland to the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense: “today the circumstances do not allow attributing these shots, there are initial works shared by the United States but it you have to be careful”.
A “greater mediating role” for China
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he wanted China, which refused to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to play “a greater mediating role” in the war. “China can play a greater mediation role alongside us in the coming months” in particular to “avoid even stronger offensives from February”, he declared. And to specify that he had discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping the “principle” of a visit to China in early 2023.
For an “integration of the African Union into the G20”
The French president assured that Paris supported “the full and complete integration of the African Union into the G20”, in the same way as the European Union is a member, during a press conference. Emmanuel Macron considered that it was a “key element” of the recomposition of the “rules of governance of international institutions”. “If we want to fully take into account solidarity with the South, we must accept that the African Union, like the European Union, is around the table”, he further declared.
The French president also announced the holding “next June in Paris” of an “international conference on a new financial pact with the South”, with the wish to “create the conditions for a real shock of financing towards the South”. because “we must not we cannot ask these countries to support multilateralism, if it is not able to respond to their vital emergencies”.
This will include “taking stock” of the reallocation of IMF special drawing rights (SDRs) from rich to poorer countries. France has “made a commitment, with a few others, to be able to reallocate 30% of our special drawing rights” to “the most fragile countries”, specified the Head of State at the conclusion of the G20 under the Indonesian presidency.
And on the restructuring of the debts of the most fragile countries?
Emmanuel Macron explained that the G20 meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday had “made it possible to move forward in terms of restructuring the debts of the most fragile countries, which is a key element of solidarity”. “We must get out of the status quo for the poorest countries and massively mobilize the private sector, in any case mobilize it much more for the energy, agricultural and industrial revolution”, by loosening “some of the constraints in the access financing”.
“We must, within the framework of this new financial pact, also integrate the question of climate vulnerability”, insisted the French president. A “group of wise men” on the sidelines of COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt was “mandated” to “advance technically” on “specific financial mechanisms”, he detailed.
An “increasing aggressiveness of Iran”
Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday denounced “Iran’s growing aggressiveness” towards France through “unacceptable hostage-taking”, and called on Tehran to “return to calm and the spirit of cooperation”. The French president also called on Iran “to respect regional stability”, referring to “the bombardments in recent days on Iraqi soil”.
“France has always respected the leaders, the Iranian people. We have always been in an approach of discussion, of respect. I think that the choices that have been made in recent months do not go in this direction on the side of Iran. So I call for a return to calm, respect for regional stability, also respect for French nationals, ”added Emmanuel Macron.
Emmanuel Macron praised “the courage and legitimacy” of “this revolution of Iranian women and youth”, after weeks of demonstrations, and after the reception of dissident women on Friday, November 11 at the Elysee Palace castigated by Tehran: These women and these young people “defend our values, our universal principles. I say + our +, I’m not talking about France, they are universal, they are also those of our Charter of the United Nations: equality between women and men, the dignity of every human being. “I think it was completely legitimate, here too, fully respecting the sovereignty of Iran, to hail the courage and legitimacy of this fight,” concluded the French president.