British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described France as the best, oldest and closest ally in the midst of bilateral tensions. He also said he would try to defuse tensions at an upcoming meeting with French President Emmanuel Macho.
Johnson told reporters on a plane after leaving for the G20 summit on Friday.
France and the United Kingdom have been at loggerheads for some time over the right to fish in post-Brexit waters, according to a Reuters report. Apart from that, Paris is also angry about the UK’s security agreement with the United States and Australia. The French government seized a British fishing trawler last Thursday amid fears that tensions between the two neighbors could escalate. The United Kingdom also summoned the French ambassador yesterday over the incident..................................... ................................................................................
Meanwhile, Johnson and Makhon are attending the G20 conference in Rome. A pre-arranged meeting between the two is also scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the conference. The British Prime Minister spoke about the meeting in an interview given to journalists sitting on a plane yesterday. “France is one of our best, oldest and closest friends and allies,” he said. The bond that binds us together is much stronger than the ongoing relationship tensions. And these are the words I will say to Makhon. He has been my friend for many years. ‘
France and the United Kingdom have been at loggerheads for some time over the right to fish in post-Brexit waters, according to a Reuters report. Apart from that, Paris is also angry about the UK’s security agreement with the United States and Australia. The French government seized a British fishing trawler last Thursday amid fears that tensions between the two neighbors could escalate. The United Kingdom also summoned the French ambassador yesterday over the incident.
Meanwhile, Johnson and Makhon are attending the G20 conference in Rome. A pre-arranged meeting between the two is also scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the conference. The British Prime Minister spoke about the meeting in an interview given to journalists sitting on a plane yesterday. “France is one of our best, oldest and closest friends and allies,” he said. The bond that binds us together is much stronger than the ongoing relationship tensions. And these are the words I will say to Makhon. He has been my friend for many years. ‘
Earlier in the day, US President Joe Biden was seen saying the same thing in a meeting with Makhon. Biden said the United States does not have such an old and loyal friend as Makho.
France seized a British trawler during a search of a port on Thursday. Another trawler was fined. French authorities claim the seized trawler did not have a license. The company, which owns the trawler, claims it was fishing legally in French waters. They allege the trawler was seized as part of a post-Brexit UK-France dispute.
In response to the detention of the trawler, the United Kingdom threatened to go ahead with the complexities of various trade issues. Boris Johnson said: “We are shocked at what is happening on certain issues. Based on what is happening and what is being said, we fear that the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (Brexit Trade Agreement) may be violated. Of course we are going to take appropriate action.
However, Boris Johnson hopes that the new conflict over fishing will not start in the same way as the dispute with the European Union over sausage imports earlier this year.
British Prime Minister Johnson thinks there are bigger issues than the fishing controversy. Everyone needs to pay attention to them. Referring to climate change, he said the key issue now should be how far countries have come in keeping the rate of global warming limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the current century.
