China News Agency, Paris, August 23 (Reporter Li Yang) French Foreign Minister Le Drian and Defense Minister Pali visited the United Arab Emirates on the 23rd local time to assess the progress of the evacuees from Afghanistan.
Le Drian said on the same day that France was worried about the August 31 "deadline" set by the US.
He said that the evacuation of personnel from Afghanistan "needs more time" to complete.
He stated that France has set up an "air bridge" from Afghanistan to the UAE for evacuees from Afghanistan.
US President Biden previously stated that the US military mission in Afghanistan will end on August 31.
He recently stated that the US government and the military are discussing whether to extend the deployment of US troops in Afghanistan until after August 31.
The Taliban has taken control of Kabul, and a Taliban spokesperson warned that if the US military extends its military operations in Afghanistan, it will face serious consequences.
Le Drian said that access to Kabul Airport is the main issue facing the evacuation of personnel, and France still needs to strengthen coordination with the United States and other partners there.
He emphasized that the conditions for evacuating people from Afghanistan are very difficult, but France is seeking to evacuate more people.
French Defense Minister Pali stated that France has pre-approved a plan to protect Afghans working with France.
She said that France began planning related evacuation operations before the Taliban took control of Kabul.
The French military said that in the past week, France helped evacuate about 1,400 people from Afghanistan to the UAE, including 100 French citizens and 1,300 Afghans.
About hundreds of people have moved from the UAE to Paris, France.
The French official statement stated that Le Drian and Pali will meet with UAE leaders and thank the UAE for its support.
They will also meet with local diplomatic, military and security personnel who help and support the evacuation work.
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