FRENCH PRES. MACRON & UK PM TRUSS TO ORGANISE A FRANCOBRITISH CONFERENCE IN 2023

USPA NEWS - This is great news for both the British and the French: Relations between their two countries have finally softened, to the point of planning a future Conference in 2023, since their leaders met in Prague, on the sidelines of the Summit « European Political Community », initiated by President Macron, as a last friend, in Strasbourg. Indeed, French President Emmanuel Macron had traveled to Prague in the Czech Republic to participate in the first Summit of the European Political Community, on 6th October 2022. This European Summit, in a new format, was proposed by President Macron himself, on May 9, 2022, in Strasbourg, during his provincial speech before the European Parliament. He then proposed a new concept of "European Political Community" bringing together today forty four (44) European countries present at this first summit which took place in Prague, Czech capital, including the UK, was represented by its PM Liz Truss.

This is great news for both the British and the French: Relations between their two countries have finally softened, to the point of planning a future Conference in 2023, since their leaders met in Prague, on the sidelines of the Summit « European Political Community », initiated by President Macron, as a last friend, in Strasbourg. Indeed, French President Emmanuel Macron had traveled to Prague in the Czech Republic to participate in the first Summit of the European Political Community, on 6th October 2022. This European Summit, in a new format, was proposed by President Macron himself, on May 9, 2022, in Strasbourg, during his provincial speech before the European Parliament. He then proposed a new concept of "European Political Community" bringing together today forty four (44) European countries present at this first summit which took place in Prague, Czech capital, including the UK, was represented by its PM Liz Truss. This new European Alliance was as a matter of fact, recently created in order to allow more cooperation and dialogue between all the countries of the European continent, in parallel with the EU, comprising the 27 Member States, of which the UK is no longer a part, since Brexit. This framework thus makes it possible to strengthen coordination at the continental level on foreign policy and security issues; develop links in energy, transport, trade, research and education; and to bring civil societies and young people closer to the continent. It was on the occasion of this summit, in Prague, that Liz Truss recently appointed PM of UK, met President Macron who managed to reset the Franco-British relationships, for the sake of a historical bond between the two countries, regardless of Brexit. Indeed, French President Emmanuel Macron had traveled to Prague in the Czech Republic to participate in the first Summit of the European Political Community. This European Summit, in a new format, was proposed by President Macron himself, on May 9, 2022, in Strasbourg, during his provincial speech before the European Parliament. He then proposed a new concept of "European Political Community" bringing together today forty four (44) European countries present at this first summit which took place in Prague, Czech capital, including the UK, was represented by its PM Liz Truss.

The two leaders, agreed on a future Franco-British conference to be held on Paris in 2023, obviously for warming up the diplomacy over a mutual strategic bilateral reset based also on the historic and friendship of the two countries, which share common values ??and democratic principles. The French people who in a great majority, love the UK, its culture and their British people, owe to President Macron's diplomatic skills, this reset of neighborhood, since Brexit, AUKUS affair, migration and fishermen's anger, have frozen the friendship of the two countries. The announcement of this future bilateral Summit in Paris (the first of a kind since 2018), is a good sign of warming up, and recreating closeness of the commercial, diplomatic and cultural relations of the two countries, historically friends and allies. The resident Macron, thus allows by his diplomatic coup, to revive the proximity of the British ally of France, for decades, while bringing it back to the tables of European negotiations, outside the EU, (since UK has leaves EU, during BREXIT at the end of 2020), especially in this period of war in Ukraine and energy crisis.

We publish the Common Joint Statement release by both PM’s office, (10 Downing Street) and French Presidency (Elysee), as it was delivered.
UK- FRANCE JOINT STATEMENT
French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Liz Truss and met in the margins of the first Summit of the European Political Community in Prague. They underlined their determination to provide all necessary support to Ukraine for as long as it takes to restore Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, to resist Russian aggression, and to hold Russia to account for its actions. ? ?The President and the Prime Minister reaffirmed the strong and historic ties between their two countries. They agreed to hold the next UK-France Summit in 2023 in France to take forward a renewed bilateral agenda.
Energy transition and decoupling from Russian hydro-carbons are common challenges.

The Prime Minister and the President discussed advancing bilateral cooperation in particular on energy. They reaffirmed their belief that both renewable and nuclear energies are part of consistent strategies to achieve energy transition and strategic autonomy. They confirmed the full support of the UK and French Governments for the new nuclear power station at Sizewell and expect the relevant bodies to finalise arrangements in the coming month. 
The leaders committed to advance and increase UK-France civil-nuclear cooperation, including on innovation, infrastructure development and workforce skills, ahead of next year’s UK-France Summit.
They further agreed to deepen cooperation on illegal migration within the bounds of international law, to tackle criminal groups trafficking people across Europe, ending in dangerous journeys across the Channel. Interior Ministers should conclude an ambitious package of measures this autumn. Leaders agreed to reinforce cooperation with near neighbours, including through an early meeting of the Calais group. 

President Macron and Prime Minister TRUSS welcomed the quality of the discussions during the first summit of the European Political Community and look forward to next steps. » Source: Elysee