Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Macron Congratulates Biden Over Phone


Tue 10 Nov 2020 | 10:30 PM
Yassmine Elsayed

Hours ago, French President Emmanuel Macron held his first telephone talks with U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden since he was announced a winner in the last presidential elections.

The Elysee Palace said that the talks between Biden and Macron, who sought to form a solid working relationship with outgoing President Donald Trump, focused on international cooperation on the main global issues.

"The president congratulated Joe Biden and his vice president Kamala Harris and emphasized his desire to work together on the current issues -- climate, health, the fight against terrorism and the defence of fundamental rights," the Elysee said.

Macron has never met Biden, who served as vice president under Barack Obama from 2008-2016 before Macron arrived at the Elysee in 2017.

Unlike other EU leaders, Macron earlier sought to build a strong relationship with Trump, hosting him for a high profile visit to Paris in 2017 and then again for the 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz.

But according to analysts, Macron has little to show for the diplomacy, with vast differences between Paris and Washington on issues ranging from Iran to the taxation of digital giants.