Jean-Yves Le Drian said the French government will tell US Secretary Mike Pompéo on his upcoming visit to Paris that a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan or Iraq would be a bad idea -
CHINA NOUVELLE / SIPA
Asked Friday about a possible acceleration of the withdrawal of American troops in Afghanistan, Jean-Yves Le Drian replied that it is "what should not be done, in our opinion.
What should not be done in Iraq either ”.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said on BFM / RMC that he would repeat it to US Secretary Mike Pompéo, during his upcoming visit to Paris.
"There are many difficult subjects to discuss together, there is the situation in Iraq, the situation in Iran, terrorism, the difficulties in the Middle East, the question of the relationship with China," said the minister.
With 69 days from the end of his mandate, US President Donald Trump, who refuses to admit his electoral defeat to Joe Biden, has just placed loyalists in important Pentagon positions with the apparent aim of accelerating the American withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Mike Pompeo gave Iraq an ultimatum
Information about a possible US withdrawal from Iraq also circulated recently.
In early October, several political and diplomatic sources confirmed that Mike Pompeo had given Iraq an ultimatum: either the attacks by pro-Iran groups against American interests in Iraq cease, or Washington closes its embassy and recalls its 3,000 soldiers and its diplomats.
Emmanuel Macron will receive US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday morning, on tour in Europe and the Middle East, a meeting held at the request of the American and "in full transparency with the team of President-elect Joe Biden", said the Elysee on Thursday.
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