The French government will tell US Secretary Mike Pompeo, who is shortly to visit Paris, that a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan or Iraq would be a bad idea, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday (November 13th).
Read also: The United States threatens to leave Iraq
Asked about a possible acceleration of the withdrawal of American troops in Afghanistan, the minister replied: "
What should not be done, in our opinion.
What we should not do in Iraq either, we will tell ourselves,
”during Mike Pompeo's visit to Paris from Saturday to Monday, the minister said on BFM TV and RMC radio.
"
There are many difficult subjects to discuss together, there is the situation in Iraq, the situation in Iran, terrorism, the difficulties in the Middle East, the question of the relationship with China,
" said the minister.
With 69 days to the end of his term, US President Donald Trump, who refuses to admit his electoral defeat to Joe Biden, has just placed loyalists in important Pentagon positions with the apparent aim of speeding up the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Information about a possible US withdrawal from Iraq also circulated recently.
In early October, several political and diplomatic sources confirmed to AFP that Mike Pompeo had given Iraq an ultimatum: either the attacks by pro-Iran groups against American interests in Iraq cease, or Washington closes its embassy and recalls its 3,000 soldiers and diplomats.
Read also: Afghanistan: Trump appears determined to accelerate the withdrawal of his troops
Emmanuel Macron will receive on Monday morning the American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on tour in Europe and the Middle East, a meeting carried out at the request of the American and "
in full transparency with the team of President-elect Joe Biden
", said the Elysee on Thursday.
