NATO Secretary General discusses security issues with French Foreign Minister Le Drian
The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Jean-Yves Le Drian visits NATO and meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian at NATO Headquarters on Monday (21 September 2020) to discuss issues relevant to transatlantic security.
The Secretary General and Minister Le Drian addressed developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and efforts to avoid incidents and accidents at sea and in the air. Mr. Stoltenberg updated the minister on the technical meetings, held at NATO Headquarters, to establish a military de-confliction mechanism between NATO Allies Greece and Turkey. He noted that NATO remains an important platform for consultations and the technical talks are meant to complement ongoing diplomatic efforts.
They also discussed NATO’s relations with Russia, the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and the situation in Belarus. The Secretary General reiterated that NATO is watching developments in Belarus closely, and expressed concern over the arbitrary detentions and abductions of opposition figures. He stressed that the people of Belarus have the right to determine their own future.
The Secretary General also thanked Minister Le Drian for France’s contribution to the NATO 2030 reflection process to further strengthen the Alliance. A group of ten experts, including French politician Hubert Védrine, are currently supporting the Secretary General in this process.
