MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

French FM stops by in Buenos Aires ahead of Rio summit

Séjourné and Mondino are both attending the G20 convention in Rio

Argentine President Javier Milei met in Buenos Aires Tuesday with France's Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné to strengthen bilateral ties and trade between the two countries.

Also participating in the gathering were Ministers Diana Mondino (Foreign Affairs) and Luis 'Toto' Caputo (Economy) together with Cabinet Chief Nicolás Posse to review the European nation's investments in the region.

Séjourné and Mondino ratified that the link between Argentina and France had the status of a “privileged relationship” and based on a shared heritage as Western liberal democracies and on an unwavering commitment to the republican form of government.

Mondino also highlighted France's role as the eighth foreign investor in the country, in areas such as infrastructure, manufacturing and energy, among others while Séjourné assured that French companies would remain active locally.

Argentina's top diplomat also recalled her country's sovereignty claims over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands whose name in Spanish stems from early French settlers from St Malo.

Séjourné, who took office last month after a cabinet reshuffle within President Emmanuel Macron's administration, said after the Nov. 19 runoff that “Argentina has chosen, democratically, the populist adventure of the extreme right.”

“It is the sovereign choice of the Argentine people, but we repeat it ad nauseam: more and more these experiences end in failure and suffering,” he also warned back then when serving as an MEP.

Mondino and Séjourné also reviewed the seemingly endless negotiations for a free trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur as well as cooperation mechanisms in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, among other matters. In addition, they expressed their concern over the ongoing military developments in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Regarding the upcoming G-20 encounter, both ministers agreed on the importance of human rights and other items to be discussed in Rio de Janeiro. From the Argentine capital, both Séjourné and Mondino were to fly to Brazil's Cidade Maravilhosa for the G20 convention.