French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Catherine Colonna at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, February 1, 2023. SARAH MEYSSONNIER / REUTERS
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs will be in Riyadh on Thursday and in Abu Dhabi on Friday to strengthen partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in a context of regional instability, we learned on Wednesday from a diplomatic source.
This is Catherine Colonna’s first trip to the Gulf, the source told reporters. And this visit isa sign of friendship towards these two countriesshe added, specifying that she would be received by her counterparts and other ministers from the culture and energy sectors.
“State hostage policy”
Among the sources of instability in this region, Iran, with which nuclear negotiations have been at a standstill for months, and which France accuses of conducting “a state hostage policy“. Other hotspots in the region, Lebanon which has sunk into “chaospolitical and economic as well asgrowing tensions in Israel and the occupied territories“, noted the diplomatic source.
“In this context, our message for our partners in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi consists in telling them that we support them, that we are at their side, and available to strengthen the partnership with them not only to fight against instability but again in all areas“, also said this source.
This source also hinted that a meeting could be held in Paris on Monday on Lebanon but did not provide details. Representatives of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States could participate, according to the Lebanese daily L’Orient le Jour. Friday, Catherine Colonna must inaugurate a French high school.
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