In addition to strengthening the European and international partnership

INTERVIEW .. Le Drian: The Franco-Italian Treaty targets the challenges of environmental and digital transformation

  • Jean-Yves Le Drian.

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  • Le Drian (right) with the Italian Foreign Minister (left) in Libya.

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The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, considered the signing of the Treaty of Enhanced Cooperation between France and Italy, last month, as timely.

This is an important shift in the wake of the tense relations between the two countries and the wrangling between officials on both sides.

Here are excerpts from an interview with West France newspaper:

■ You signed a treaty to enhance cooperation with Italy, two years after you summoned the French ambassador to Rome.

How do you explain this transformation?

■■ There was an end to the anti-European populist rhetoric in Italy that dominated in 2019, under the government in which Matteo Salvini participated.

Under Giuseppe Conte's second government, Rome then moved closer to a more cooperative European policy, in keeping with its historical values ​​and its status as the founding state of the European Union.

It has become stronger and stronger with the government of Mario Draghi.

Meanwhile, France took action.

I remember in particular the Franco-Italian summit, in Naples, in 2020, which President Emmanuel Macron wanted to hold, despite the onset of the pandemic;

and reciprocal visits.

All this made it possible to underline the clear rapprochement between our two countries.

■ Why did you sign a treaty?

■■ We want to create through this Treaty a form of Franco-Italian thinking, on all levels and on all subjects;

In order to promote our common European culture.

And the treaty will prove all this true;

This coincides with a key moment, represented by the French presidency of the European Union.

And to meet the challenges of environmental and digital transformation, necessary re-manufacturing, and migration issues.

In fact, all of these themes deserve common actions.

■ Libya has been among the areas of friction in recent years.

Was the Franco-Italian rivalry harmful?

■■ We have collected our views on Libya in great detail.

I went there with my colleague Luigi Di Maio, with whom I had a great relationship of trust.

This rapprochement was reflected in our joint presidency of the Libya Conference, which took place on 12 November in Paris with the presence of Mario Draghi.

We are with the process that must be implemented now.

And both the electoral process that must take place before the end of the year, and the security process that must lead to the gradual withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries.

As for the Libyan issue, we are in harmony in assessing and putting forward ideas.

■ Do threats outside Europe reinforce this need for rapprochement?

■■ These enduring rapprochement efforts are indeed essential to setting an agenda, both bilaterally and in the framework of our work within the European Union.

Rather, it is absolutely necessary to harmonize our positions at the international level.

We agree a lot, and we often have common positions.

■ Italy has traditionally taken a very Atlanticist position, with defense an important place in this treaty.

Is this a change?

■■ Strengthening European defense and NATO defense has always been, to a large extent, complementary to each other, contrary to what some would like.

Italy is an important defense partner within the European Union and the Alliance, both in the industrial, capacity and operational fields.

So it was only natural that defense would occupy an important place in this treaty.

■ There was a French-German duo, and now we have a French-Italian duo.

How do you rate it?

■■ Emphasis should be placed here on bilateral exchanges in all fields, including cultural, economic and industrial.

Our common history, our common culture, our common ideas about the future of Europe, all of this makes our cooperation at this stage essential.

■ Is this a step-by-step way to build Europe?

■■ This is about consolidating the initial foundations of Europe.

• Strengthening European defense and the defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have always been, to a large extent, complementary to each other, contrary to what some wanted.

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