This “message” from Javier Milei to Emmanuel Macron sets the tone before their meeting in Argentina

INTERNATIONAL – Rather comfortable on international issues, Emmanuel Macron will however have a lot to do from this Saturday, November 16 during his week-long tour of Latin America. His very first stop in Argentina, which was not initially planned, should be the biggest part of it.

Indeed, on Thursday November 14, during the COP29 organized in Azerbaijan, the Argentine delegation, although already reduced to a bare minimum with a handful of experts who had come to prepare technical reports, withdrew from the debates. “This is actually a bilateral issue between Argentina and the UN, and we cannot make any further comments on it”immediately evacuated Azerbaijani President Ialtchine Rafiev.

Since this withdrawal, some observers see it as a message sent by Argentine President Javier Milei, a declared ally of Donald Trump whose climate skepticism he shares, a few hours before the arrival of Emmanuel Macron in his country, as you can see in the video at the top of the article. As the Argentine newspaper recalls Clarion and relays it International mailthe French president is considered internationally as “ one of the leaders in the fight against climate change ». Conversely, let us remember that Javier Milei, for example, abolished the Ministry of the Environment at the end of last year.

It is no understatement to say that Emmanuel Macron is arriving in a minefield this weekend in Buenos Aires. According to the Élysée, the head of state is going there with a first main objective: “connect Javier Miliei to the priorities of the G20” and continue the exchanges begun during a first meeting between the two presidents five months ago in Paris, “in order to overcome differences that exist on major global issues, particularly environmental questions”. The goal will in fact be to convince Argentina to continue to participate in the international consensus, “literally on the eve of the G20”.

A memorial section

In this regard, the Élysée interprets Argentina's withdrawal during the COP in a balanced manner: “our understanding is that they left the room but they did not leave the COP, which is a small nuance, and it is precisely because we disagree with Argentina that we We need to talk to them at the highest level. »

“For a year, we have had this dialogue with the Argentine authorities at the highest level
in order to explain to them our position on environmental issues and to connect them to the international consensus on this subject”still supports the French presidency ahead of the visit to Argentina.

In Buenos Aires, Emmanuel Macron also intends, in a second important area, “deepen the strategic and historic partnership with Argentina” in the fields of defence, energy transition and transport. All in a context where the Argentine government is showing itself “open to foreign investment, focused on foreign trade” with the desire to “raise the economic situation of the country”according to the Élysée.

Finally, the visit will also include a memorial component with a visit on Sunday to the Santa Cruz church where the head of state will pay tribute to the twenty French people, including two nuns, who disappeared and were assassinated during the Argentine dictatorship in the 70s.

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