Security, Independence, Bolstering Power at Core of Macron’s French Foreign Policy

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French ambassadors during an annual meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French ambassadors during an annual meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)
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Security, Independence, Bolstering Power at Core of Macron’s French Foreign Policy

French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French ambassadors during an annual meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron addresses French ambassadors during an annual meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)

In his first speech on France’s foreign policy, President Emmanual Macron paved the comprehensive and complete path of the diplomacy that Paris will follow over the next five years.

During his first annual address to France’s ambassadors, he covered world crises, ranging from the Middle East to North Korea, Africa and Venezuela and the fate of the European Union.

The foreign policy will be based on the France’s security and independence and various forms of influence throughout the world.

Macron indirectly implied that, since his election to office, France has restored its role in the world and its voice is once again being heard. He was making an indirect reference to his “successful” meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump and his initiative that brought together the rival forces in Libya.

The French leader declared that Paris wants to be the “bearer of solutions and initiatives upon the eruption of new crises.”

In addition, he revealed that a “work group” on Syria will meet after a few days in New York. He also told the ambassadors that Paris will host in early 2018 a conference on drying up terrorism financing and that he will pay a visit to the Middle East in spring of the same year.

Seeing as France and the French people top Macron’s concerns, terrorism took up most his speech that lasted over an hour. He stressed the need to combat terror that has been plaguing France since early 2015 and which has left 239 people dead and hundreds injured.

“Combating Islamist terrorism is at the top of our foreign policy priorities,” he stated, while acknowledging that labeling this terrorism as “Islamist” will incite criticism. He was therefore quick to clarify that he distinguishes between Islam and “Islamist” terrorism, rejecting that the millions of Muslims in Europe be blamed for this violence.

Echoing the words of his predecessor Francois Hollande, Macron declared ISIS as “the enemy of France.” He also made a link between destroying ISIS and terrorism to finding comprehensive political solutions in each of Syria and Iraq.

“Restoring peace and stability in Iraq and Syria are of vital importance to France,” he declared. To that end, he called for working towards a stage of political transition in both of the war-torn countries.

One of the ways to defeat “Islamist” terrorism lies in drying up its financing, explained the French president. He therefore stressed that any side funding terror should not be overlooked.

Macron avoided delving into the details of the Gulf crisis between Qatar on the one hand and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt on the other. He also refused to view the conflicts in the region from a “Sunni-Shi’ite” perspective. The strength of French diplomacy lies in its ability to speak to all sides in order “to bring together the elements of stability and effectively combat all forms of terror financing.”

In addition, the French leader refused to follow the United States’ campaign to abandon the Iranian nuclear deal, saying that he is committed to its implementation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

On Syria, Macron had in May spoken of a French “initiative” on the war-torn country that calls for forming a “contact group” comprised of the major powers and influential regional players. On Tuesday, he said that this group will become “active” in September and that it will meet on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. He did not specify whether Syria will be represented by the regime or the opposition at the meeting.

French diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that one of the difficulties Paris faced in coming up with the initiative was the mounting tensions between Tehran and the American administration, which refuses to sit at the same table with Iranian officials.

Macron said that it was “a given” that a state of law will once again be formed in Syria, which is what France and Europe are working towards. Furthermore, he added that this should be accompanied with the “trial of figures responsible for the crimes committed there, specifically its leaders.” This marks the first time that the new French president makes such a demand, which is significant since he had refrained in the past from calling for the ouster of regime head Bashar al-Assad.

On Lebanon, Macron said that Paris is “very aware” of the special ties it enjoys with Beirut, noting that the country is “bravely” confronting a critical situation.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun is scheduled to visit Paris in late September, while Prime Minister Saad Hariri is set to make a similar visit in the upcoming days.

Turning to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Macron expressed his commitment to the two-state solution and his country’s efforts to reaching that goal. He revealed that he will visit each of Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories in spring 2018.

As for Libya, the French president described it as a “safe haven for terrorists.” He also highlighted the agreement that he was able to mediate between rival leaders Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in the Paris suburb of Saint Cloud on July 25.



Fuel to Air India Jet Engines Cut Off Moments Before Crash, Finds Probe

A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. (Reuters)
A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Fuel to Air India Jet Engines Cut Off Moments Before Crash, Finds Probe

A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. (Reuters)
A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Fuel control switches to the engines of an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 260 people, were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position moments before impact, a preliminary investigation report said early Saturday.

The report, issued by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, did not offer any conclusions or apportion blame for the June 12 disaster, but indicated that one pilot asked the other why he cut off fuel, and the second pilot responded that he had not.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was headed from Ahmedabad in western India to London when it crashed, killing all but one of the 242 people on board as well as 19 people on the ground.

In its 15-page report, the investigation bureau said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, "the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec".

"In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," it said.

The aircraft quickly began to lose altitude.

The switches then returned to the "RUN" position and the engines appeared to be gathering power, but "one of the pilots transmitted 'MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY'", the report said.

Air traffic controllers asked the pilots what was wrong, but then saw the plane crashing and called emergency personnel to the scene.

- Investigation ongoing -

Earlier this week, specialist website The Air Current, citing multiple sources familiar with the probe, reported it had "narrowed its focus to the movement of the engine fuel switches", while noting that full analysis will "take months -- if not longer".

It added that "the focus of the investigators could change during that time".

The Indian agency's report said that the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued an information bulletin in 2018 about "the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature".

Though the concern was not considered an "unsafe condition" that would warrant a more serious directive, Air India told investigators it did not carry out suggested inspections as they were "advisory and not mandatory".

Air India was compliant with all airworthiness directives and alert service bulletins on the aircraft, the report said.

The investigations bureau said there were "no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers", suggesting no technical issues with the engines (GE) or the aircraft (Boeing).

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The bureau said the investigation was ongoing, and that additional evidence and information has been "sought from the stakeholders".

The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stipulates that states heading investigation must submit a preliminary report within 30 days of an accident.

US and British air accident investigators have taken part in the probe.

The plane was carrying 230 passengers -- 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian -- along with 12 crew members.

Dozens of people on the ground were injured.

One passenger miraculously survived, a British citizen who was seen walking out of the wreckage of the crash, and who has since been discharged from hospital.

Health officials in the Indian state of Gujarat initially said at least 279 people were killed, but forensic scientists reduced the figure after multiple scattered and badly burnt remains were identified.