French-German government talks postponed due to growing differences between the two sides

A German-French meeting scheduled for next week was postponed after Berlin felt it needed “more time” to find common ground on a number of documents.

The postponement of the periodic meeting, which alternates between the two governments, reflects a widening rift between the two European powers at a time when Europe is making relentless efforts to overcome the energy and cost of living crisis, AFP said. against the backdrop of the Ukrainian crisis.

For his part, Steffen Hipstreit, spokesman for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, did not reveal any details about the files on which the governments of the two countries did not come to an understanding, while he acknowledged that there are “various issues that we are working on on moment … we have not yet come to a unified position on them. ” “.

The parties came to the conclusion that it was “reasonable” to postpone the talks, which are planned to be held in France, to January.

Hepstraight said Schultz will hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of a European Union summit starting Thursday.

After talks with his German counterpart, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire indicated that the delay was due to “difficulties with the agenda of some ministers.”

He added: “It has nothing to do with any political difficulties.”

For its part, the French Presidency said that the matter went beyond the issue of timetables.

“We decided together that we needed more time to achieve ambitious results in line with the current challenges,” she added.

France and Germany have long sought to demonstrate unity in the face of a series of crises, with prior agreement on positions ahead of major summits, but in recent weeks there has been criticism on several issues, especially on energy and defense.

Source: AFP

Related Stories

Leave a Reply