“The fight against Islamic terrorism is the first priority of French diplomacy,” French President Emmanuel Macron told an assembly of French ambassadors Tuesday.
Macron went on to tell the diplomats that “ensuring the security of our citizens must be the priority of our policy,” before announcing a major conference on the financing of terrorist networks that will be held in Paris in early 2018.
“The security of the French people is the raison d’être of our diplomacy,” Macron said. “This is a visceral requirement. We must respond to it without flagging. The eradication of terrorism also means drying up its financing.”
France has repeatedly been targeted by Islamic terrorists, with a string of jihadist attacks ranging from Nice to Paris to Normandy that have claimed scores of lives.
In his speech at the Presidential Élysée Palace lasting over an hour, Macron traced the lines of his “make France great again” politics and his dream of the country returning as a major player in international diplomacy.
In the wide-ranging address, Macron covered the globe from China to Libya, from Iran to South Korea passing through Syria, Venezuela and Israel. In Macron’s vision, France will once again have a strategic diplomatic role on the global stage.
“We have to talk with everyone, bringing new solutions and initiatives,” the President said. “Leave every door open without giving room for ambiguity. We must always say what our goal is.”
The French President also cited the need for greater collaboration with strategic partners in the pursuit of common objectives.
“Stabilizing the tensions surrounding us is vital for France,” he added, calling for “enhanced cooperation” with Italy and Libya to address the epicenter of Europe’s migrant crisis.
“We must work in symbiosis with everyone, authorities, governments, NGOs, the army and local communities,” he said, extending areas of cooperation to include not only Europe, but also “the Mediterranean and Africa.”
While briefly mentioning one of his favorite topics—climate change—Macron nonetheless subordinated this concern to that of overcoming Islamic terrorism.
At the meeting of the G7 nations in Sicily last May, President Donald Trump famously diverted attention away from climate change to the question of Islamic terrorism.
Prior to the summit of the leaders of the world’s wealthiest and most advanced nations, “climate change” constantly appeared on the list of priorities highlighted by the heads of state, especially of European nations.
As one headline ran at the time, “Trump talks terrorism while Europe shouts ‘Climate!’” In this shouting match, however, the U.S. President got the upper hand.
The European leaders found themselves obliged to respond to President Trump’s powerful speech against Islamist terrorism before 55 world leaders from Muslim-majority nations in Riyadh just before the G7 meeting.
In that speech, Trump called for unity in pursuing “the one goal that transcends every other consideration. That goal is to meet history’s great test—to conquer extremism and vanquish the forces of terrorism.”
In this unique and preeminent task, Trump said, “Muslim-majority countries must take the lead in combating radicalization.”
From Tuesday’s address, it would appear that Emmanuel Macron has now come around to a similar position.
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