Transcript – Statement by the President of the Republic on the occasion of the joint press conference with the President of the Spanish Government

MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from English to French – Published June 23, 2018

Rubric: Europe, Nation, Institutions and State Reform

ONLY THE PRONOUNCED FAITH.

Elysee Palace, June 23, 2018

Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to have received today the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro SANCHEZ, at the Elysee Palace for his first bilateral visit since he took office a few weeks ago. This interview after telephone exchanges that we had already had together made it possible to note that we shared the same vision of Europe and the same will to refound it.

On the many issues that we have been able to discuss, I believe that we share the observation that the challenges on migration topics such as economic topics are particularly real and that facing them, the risk is a risk of fragmentation, dismantling European by return of nationalisms. And our common will, I think I can say it is to answer it by a true European refoundation, that is to say a realistic Europe which protects, which carries an ambition and decides and acts.

On the subject of migration, together we have prepared the next coming deadlines, in particular the summit in Brussels, where we will both be here tomorrow, and then the European Council next weekend.

France and Spain share the same strategy to respond effectively and humane to the arrival of migrants and this strategy is based on three pillars that are also indispensable.

The first is the strengthening of our support and cooperation with the countries of origin and transit, and I must in this respect welcome the cooperation that Spain has been able to establish with several African countries. At the summit of August 28th that France had organized, Spain was present and we were able to carry out several concrete actions and I hope that we can continue on this point with all the countries, especially in Africa that they are country of origin or passage of these migrants. It is at the same time a policy of development, a politics of security partnership, also political of fight against the traffickers as we began to do it with efficiency in the Sahel.

The second pillar is the reinforcement of Frontex and therefore of the external protection of the European Union, of the Schengen area, which, I believe, is slowly gaining consensus. This is one of the proposals I could make. last fall. Giving more human resources, legal materials, protecting borders and facilitating the return of migrants who do not fall under the right of asylum is an indispensable response to the situation we are familiar with and which is also a legitimate expectation of many countries of first arrival in Europe.

Finally, the reorganization of the reception and treatment of migrants in Europe, according to principles of responsibility and solidarity, is the third pillar of the strategy we want to promote. In this respect, I would like to emphasize here the excellent cooperation we have with Spain and that we have had in the particular case of Aquarius. I welcome the decision of the President of the Spanish Government to welcome the boat and to have accepted this solution of European solidarity, arranged if I can say in haste, but which allowed the OFPRA, therefore the French Agency in charge refugees, asylum seekers, to go to Spain and work in connection with your services so that France can take its share of the asylum seekers who are on your territory today.

But what we want is to be able to manage things not on a case-by-case basis, but to really propose a clear scheme of solidarity that makes it possible to respond to this challenge and the proposal that we will discuss tomorrow but, I believe, on which we have both a common position, it is on the one hand that the landing respects the humanitarian rules and principles of the relief and in this matter, it is the closest safe harbor; it is then that, from the time of disembarkation, we can plan closed centers on the basis of what UNHCR proposes with European means, organize rapid procedures for examining situations, and quickly renew those who are not entitled. to the asylum and share the welcome of others. This is the spirit of true European solidarity organized in the manner of what UNHCR proposes with very practical practical elements and I hope that we will be able in the coming days to act with a common European decision which is the only one that will respond effectively and humanly to the tragedy we are living.

This is exactly what brought our joint work during these last days between Spain and France.

We also talked about economic issues and the euro area and the agreement found in particular with Chancellor Angela MERKEL in Meseberg. I know that Spain shares our ambition for the deepening of the euro zone both to give it a euro zone budget to advance on the Banking Union and therefore to be able to create, here too, rules for solidarity and common responsibility.

In this regard, the agreement reached at Meseberg is an important step and we will have to work together on this subject in the coming months, work on the rules that will be implemented and all the details and we decided on this point of to further increase our cooperation and to be able to work hand in hand on this subject. I also wish to mention these topics, especially the euro zone, to welcome the agreement reached by the finance ministers on the Greek debt on Thursday. The end of the euro area financial assistance program is also a historic milestone for Greece and for the euro area, and this agreement is also an important milestone and a major effort that has been made by the Prime Minister. Minister TSIPRAS, his government, and which was carried by all the Greek people to whom I wish here to pay homage.

These agreements on the euro area, the one we obtained in French-German a few days ago, as the agreement of Ministers on Greece shows that our economic and monetary union is not blocked but that when there is determination, a will to cooperate and find good European solutions, we can find an ability to move forward together and our will is to be able to do so in this context with the same spirit.

In Europe of defense, Spain is a major partner for France and actively supports with us the various advances conducted over the past year. Our ministers of the Armed Forces will sign an important agreement Monday to concretely launch the European initiative that I had also proposed at the Sorbonne and I want to thank the Spanish Prime Minister for his commitment. Finally, we also talked about energy transition, we will have the opportunity to share important moments – the Spanish Prime Minister will come back in a few moments on this topic – but I hope that we can accelerate the joint work on energy interconnection between our countries and we will talk about it in the coming weeks.

I also hope that our cooperation can go further and that on the subject of the climate transition, a minimum carbon price, a work on the structuring of the next stage, a real European carbon market and of a real energy and climate transition, we can bring together common initiatives.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that this first meeting was very fruitful and it augurs for a resolute action of Spain and France together in favor of the revival of Europe.

Mr. President of the Government, dear Pedro, I wanted to thank you for taking this step and accepting the invitation to come to Paris today for this friendly exchange of work before we meet tomorrow in Brussels and in Brussels. weekend again in Brussels. In any case, thank you very much and thank you for this exchange.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a translation. Please accept our apologies should the grammar and / or sentence structure not be perfect.