Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will take part in the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on February 17.

The ministers will discuss the following issues:

• Relations with Africa: The Council will prepare for the African Union (AU) - European Union (EU) ministerial conference due to take place in Kigali in May and the African Union - European Union (AU-EU) summit due to take place in Brussels at the end of October. The ministers will discuss the objectives of a renewed EU-AU partnership, with special emphasis on peace and security, especially in the Sahel region. France will reaffirm the importance of an enhanced role for the EU and its member states in this region, notably within the Coalition for the Sahel.
• Libya: The ministers will take stock of the security and political situation in the Sahel. They will discuss international and European support for the Berlin Process and the ways in which the EU can help implement the embargo and the ceasefire in this country, in accordance with the goals of Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Ghassan Salamé.
• India: The ministers will exchange views with Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in order to prepare for the India-EU summit on March 13 in Brussels. France would like this important meeting to signal the strengthening of relations between the two partners at the political, environmental, economic and security levels over the next five years, with the adoption of the Joint Agenda for Cooperation 2020-2025.
• Other topical issues will be discussed: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the EU's attachment to the internationally agreed parameters in the context of the most recent American statements: the Middle East, as well as the Western Balkans, as a follow-up to the visits by High Representative Josep Borrell to these regions; the situation in Venezuela, with particular emphasis on greater EU involvement in this matter in support of a credible political process.

North Macedonia – Meeting between Amélie de Montchalin and the deputy prime minister and the minister of foreign affairs of North Macedonia (February 13, 2020)

Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of State for European Affairs, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, received Bujar Osmani, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs of North Macedonia and Nikola Dimitrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on February 13.

Their discussions focused on EU enlargement, specifically the European Commission's notice of the reform of the adhesion process published on February 5. The minister confirmed that this proposal was a step toward the paradigm change desired by France and several other member states, with the aim of making the adhesion process more credible, more demanding, and more reversible. Ms. de Montchalin reiterated that France would remain vigilant with respect to the application of the reform and maintaining its level of ambition. In addition, she noted that France's expectations also extended to the status of the rule of law in North Macedonia, especially judicial reform, in line with the conditions established by the conclusions of the Council of June 2018

Equatorial Guinea

Malabo accused the ambassadors of the U.S., France, and Spain of interference, denouncing them for going to the home of the former president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Juan Carlos Ondo Angue, on Monday evening, even though he was about to be arrested by gendarmes as part of an investigation into the coup attempt of December 2017.

Can you confirm that on the evening of February 11, the French ambassador, accompanied by his Spanish and American colleagues, went to the home of the former president of the Supreme Court to prevent his arrest? Where is the former Supreme Court president, has he taken refuge at the embassy?

The ambassador of France to Equatorial Guinea went to the home of Juan Carlos Ondo Angue at the latter's invitation on February 11. He was accompanied by several of his counterparts.

It was never the intention of the ambassador of France to prevent legal proceedings. In fact, he informed the Equatoguinean minister for foreign affairs and cooperation of his presence at Mr. Ondo Angue's home.

Russia

As part of a broad reform of the Russian Constitution, President Vladimir Putin supported the idea of enshrining in the Constitution a prohibition on the alienation of Russian territory. The Russian head of state also reaffirmed that the terms "father" and "mother" will not be replaced by the neutral words "parent 1" and "parent 2." Can you comment on these remarks?

The revision of the Constitution is a sovereign decision by the Russian Federation, which must fully abide by the international commitments it has undertaken.