Blinken meets French President, OECD chair in Paris - State Dept.

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, June 25 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss "shared commitments to Transatlantic security and to the enduring NATO Alliance." Blinken and Macron emphasized "the shared goals of establishing a stable and predictable relationship with Moscow while addressing Russia?'s aggressive and irresponsible behavior, including towards Ukraine," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.The statement added that they also discussed Transatlantic cooperation in addressing China?'s "coercive economic practices and attempts at undermining the rules-based international order." The US top diplomat and Macron exchanged views "on countering terrorist threats, supporting democracy, and joint efforts to improve the capacity of our African partners in the Sahel region." They also discussed "efforts underway with African and other partners to address the humanitarian and human rights crises in Tigray," in addition to "emphasizing the need for Lebanon?'s leaders to come together for the good of the Lebanese people." Earlier today, Blinken also met with Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary General Mathias Cormann in Paris during which they emphasized "the enduring importance of the OECD as a body of like-minded countries committed to shared values and the pursuit of a greener and more sustainable and inclusive world, especially as the organization celebrates its 60th anniversary this year," Price said in a separate statement. (end) si MENAFN25062021000071011013ID1102344568