Mike Pompeo, head of American diplomacy, arrived in Paris on Saturday, November 14.

He is due to meet President Emmanuel Macron there on Monday, who, unlike Donald Trump, has already recognized Joe Biden's victory in the race for the White House.

"Happy to be in France, the oldest friend and ally of the United States", tweeted as he got off the plane the Secretary of State, whose first bilateral visit to the French capital, apart from a trip to accompany the American president.

“Our partnership is built on shared values: democracy, freedom and the rule of law,” he added.

Great to be in France, the United States' oldest friend and Ally.

Our partnership is built upon our shared values: democracy, freedom, and rule of law.

The strong relationship between our countries cannot be overestimated, and I'm looking forward to my discussions here in Paris.

pic.twitter.com/NMPa0aX7V0

- Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 14, 2020

Mike Pompeo refuses to acknowledge Joe Biden's victory

The minister, accompanied by his wife Susan Pompeo, did not have much on his agenda during the weekend, except a tribute to the victims of the recent attacks in France, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine and Nice. 

Monday morning, Mike Pompeo is due to meet Emmanuel Macron as well as his counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

But even these interviews should largely be done away from the cameras.

The French indeed insisted on the fact that they had agreed to receive Mike Pompeo at his own request, and "in full transparency with the team of President-elect Joe Biden".

Emmanuel Macron was among the first to congratulate the Democrat on his election to the United States, then to speak with him on the phone.

And this even though the outgoing Republican president has still not acknowledged his defeat.

Before taking off on a tour of Europe and the Middle East, of which Paris is the first stop, Mike Pompeo refused to recognize Joe Biden's victory.

"There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration," he said Tuesday, before criticizing foreign leaders who have already made contact with the Democrat.

Disagreement over the withdrawal of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan

Beyond these two parallel realities which risk parasitizing American diplomacy, the talks in Paris also promise to be tense.

Jean-Yves Le Drian warned that he would oppose, in front of Mike Pompeo, an acceleration of the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, envisaged by Donald Trump before the official end of his mandate, on January 20.

According to the State Department, discussions will also focus on "transatlantic unity", often abused during the Trump era, as well as the fight against terrorism.

With AFP

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