Jean Marc-Ayrault, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, and Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs, will this afternoon receive the foreign ministers of the countries taking part in the Paris Balkans 2016 summit. This summit is scheduled to be held on July 4, on President Hollande's initiative.

The ministerial conference will bring together the six Western Balkans countries (Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia), Germany, Austria, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia, as well as the European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations and the Secretary-General of the European External Action Service.

The participants will take stock of the priorities of the summit taking place on July 4 and of the development of regional cooperation with the support of the EU.

European Union – Harlem Désir's participation in the General Affairs Council (Brussels - May 24, 2016)

Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs, will take part in the General Affairs Council in Brussels today.

The ministers will prepare for the European Council on June 28 and 29, which will focus on the response to the refugee crisis, the expansion of the job market, growth and investment in Europe as well as the European Security Strategy. The European Council will also examine the results of the British referendum on June 23.

The ministers will also discuss respect for the rule of law in the EU, notably with respect to the arrival of refugees and migrants in Europe.

Latin America and Caribbean Week (May 24 - June 5, 2016)

From May 24 to June 5, France is celebrating Latin America and Caribbean Week for the third consecutive year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development is coordinating this event which was launched thanks to an initiative by the Senate and a request by President Hollande, with the support of the embassies in France of the countries of the region.

Stakeholders—public and private stakeholders and associations—in relations between France, Latin America and the Caribbean will take part in more than 300 events in 50 cities.

A large number of political and economic leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean will be in Paris during this period and will take part in this event which aims to demonstrate and strengthen the friendship between France and the countries of the region.

For more information, please visit: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ameriques/evenements/article/semaine-de-l-amerique-latine-et-des-caraibes-24-05-05-06-16.

Economic Diplomacy – Opening of registrations for the meetings between ambassadors and entrepreneurs (Paris - August 29, 2016)

Following the event's success in 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development will repeat the "speed-dating" business event between ambassadors and entrepreneurs ("Un ambassadeur, un entrepreneur") during the 2016 Ambassadors' Week.

Entrepreneurs—especially heads of innovative companies and SMEs and mid-tier firms—who would like to expand into international markets, will therefore be able to meet with ambassadors on August 29 to discuss their plans to expand abroad and the support they may receive from the diplomatic network and French government agencies.

This event will be one of the highlights of Ambassadors' Week. It will reflect the ministry's commitment to supporting French firms, notably small firms.

The first edition of this event in 2015 provided an opportunity for 430 business leaders from almost 40 different sectors to talk with 169 ambassadors during 1,700 meetings. These entrepreneurs came from all over France (60% of them from outside the Ile-de-France region) and were the heads of SMEs: 59% of the companies represented had less than 50 employees and 33% had less than 10 employees. Their international plans focused on all regions of the world, from sub-Saharan Africa (22% of meeting requests) to Asia and Oceania (19%), North Africa and the Middle East (18%), the EU (17%) and the Americas (14%).

Register online by June 24: http://www.1ambassadeur1entrepreneur.fr

Syria

The Rojava representation office was inaugurated yesterday evening in Paris. What is the Quai d'Orsay's position regarding the recognition of this representation and the opportunities for exchanging views with it? Furthermore, could the representation raise funds on behalf of the YPG or pursue diplomatic initiatives if it doesn't have any official status in France?

The body that you mention does not have any diplomatic status.