• Summit: Biarritz G7 starts under strong security measures
  • G7.Tusk: not to Russia, not to hard Brexit and threatens Trump if he imposes tariffs on French wine

Not a cloud over the sky of Biarritz. In the weather, a splendid day, sun and breeze, pity of closed beaches. Politically, the host, Emmanuel Macron, has done all the necessary spells so that nothing tarnishes his summit, a diplomatic commitment that makes him the center of the universe, among leaders in precarious (Italian Giuseppe Conte), exhausted (Angela Merkel ), loners (Donald Trump) or newcomers like Boris Johnson who turns 30 on Saturday on Downing Street.

The newcomer to the club was the only one who took the feet out of the pot. If on Thursday he put the shoe on the little table that separated him from Macron on the Elysium, this Saturday he argued with the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, about Brexit without agreement. A source from the Elysium, when asked about it, cut off on the healthy: "That issue is not on the agenda of the G7. That is why the president received Johnson two days ago."

The British 'premier' took the trip to Biarritz to insist on his threat? warning? Alibi ?: "I don't want there to be no agreement. I tell our EU friends that if they don't want a Brexit without an agreement, we need to forget about the safeguard of the treaty," he told reporters accompanying him in the plane that took him to France.

Tusk, resounding with Brexit

The safeguard guarantees that there will be no border between the two Irlandas, the Republic that will remain in the Union and the Ulster that would leave the EU together with the United Kingdom, of which it is a part. For this, the entire United Kingdom would continue, during a transitional period of unspecified duration, forming a "single customs territory" with the EU. For Boris Johnson this threatens "the sovereignty of the British State." "If Donald Tusk doesn't want to look like 'Mr. No Deal Brexit', he should put that in his head," said the Briton.

He thus responded to the president of the European Council whose term expires on the same day as the United Kingdom leaves the EU. Tusk opened fire in the press room of the Biarritz Casino with this statement: "He will be the third conservative prime minister with whom I discuss Brexit," he said ironically. "The EU has always been open to cooperation: with David Cameron when he wanted to avoid Brexit, with Theresa May who wanted to avoid hard Brexit ... but I will not cooperate with a Brexit without agreement. I still trust that Johnson does not want to move on to the story as 'Mister No Deal'. "

The only European leader (Jean-Claude Junker is down for a recent surgical operation) was not only resounding with Brexit. He also opposed Russia being readmitted to the club of the most powerful democracies as the US president defends. And he threatened Trump with paying him with the same currency if he penalizes new French wine tariffs. But the tenant of the White House was not upset. It has already caused a downturn in the stock exchanges on Friday by announcing an increase in tariffs on Chinese products and urging US companies to abandon their productive activities in China.

Tuning with Trump

In Biarritz, Macron entertained him with a meal alone on the terrace of the Hotel du Palais, where the heads of state and government are staying. Two hours in a 'tête à tète' under a parasol, just get off the Air Force One. Improvised, according to an advisor to the Elysium. "Decomplicating." True to his method, Macron defends that strengthening personal ties is a preliminary step to build a political agenda later. Wine was served but Trump remained true to his zero Coca-Cola.

That agenda includes: Iran, where Macron plays to calm the tension (he received the Iranian foreign minister on Friday) or the Gafa rate, which is a law enacted in France. And the aid programs to Africa . And, as Macron wants concrete results, there will be an agreement to reduce the speed of maritime transport that pollutes more than airplanes. We will see if that moment of good vibes translates into a draft announcement at the summit that, at the moment, does not have a consensus or a bland final statement.

Trump responded with an affectionate tweet: "Lunch with President Macron. Many good things are happening in both countries. Big weekend with other world leaders!" Genius and figure, he had to send it twice ; the first time he linked his text not to the official account of the president of the Republic but to one that parodied him.

At dusk, Macron formally received his peers and took them to dinner at the lighthouse. He was accompanied by his wife Brigitte who will act as a hostess at the gala dinner that will be attended by the seven "titular" leaders, Tusk for the EU, the presidents of the eight associated nations and the president of the acting Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez , Macron's personal guest. It will be the hotel in Palais. Last night was the lighthouse. Facing a horizon with some cloud pointing west. But don't look for the restaurant in the Michelin Guide. There isn't. He rode for the occasion.

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  • Donald Tusk
  • France
  • European Council
  • Boris johnson
  • Theresa May
  • Russia
  • Africa
  • David Cameron
  • Angela Merkel
  • China
  • Pedro Sanchez
  • Emmanuel Macron
  • Iran
  • Brexit

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