PRESS RELEASE : UK-France joint statement [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 November 2022.

1. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly MP and Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna held talks in Paris today, reaffirming the enduring and essential partnership between France and the United Kingdom. On the occasion of Armistice Day, they reflected on their countries’ shared history and sacrifice.

2. The Ministers looked forward to the ambitious bilateral Summit to be held in France in early 2023. They underlined the importance of cooperation in addressing global and bilateral challenges:

• On climate change and biodiversity loss, both countries will support international efforts under Egyptian and UAE Presidencies, mainstream and increase urgent climate ambition across broader multilateral processes.
• They agreed to cooperate to secure energy supplies and accelerate their clean energy transition, especially by supporting the development of offshore wind power. They reaffirmed the importance of reducing the rise of energy prices and the G7 Oil Price Cap. The Ministers committed to increase bilateral civil nuclear cooperation and welcomed good progress towards reaching an investment decision for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant project.
• On illegal migration, they stressed the urgency of tackling all forms of illegal migration including small boats crossings and addressing their root causes. They welcomed progress made towards a significant new UK-France agreement and in this respect the conclusion of an ambitious package as soon as possible. The Ministers agreed to reinforce cooperation with near neighbours, including through an early meeting of the Calais group.

3. They underlined their determination to provide Ukraine with the political, military, humanitarian and economic support it needed to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to enhance its resilience for the coming winter and beyond. They deplored the global impact of Russia’s actions and underlined their commitment to mitigate the consequences for the most vulnerable. They agreed to coordinate preparations for the respective upcoming international conferences on civilian resilience and recovery. They reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the fight against impunity.

4. The Ministers committed to strengthening cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific and coordinate responses to the systemic challenges posed by an increasingly assertive China, while remaining ready to work with China on global challenges such as climate change. France and the UK will press China, as permanent member of the UNSC, notably with regard to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, to uphold its responsibilities in the UN, on Ukraine and human rights.

5. On Iran, they condemned Iran’s violent repression of legitimate peaceful protests and Iran’s support for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, including through drones used for indiscriminate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. They condemned Iran’s destabilising activities in and around the Middle East, including transfers of UAVs and missiles and pledged to reinforce international cooperation to counter these activities. The Ministers reiterated their clear determination that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon and their deep concerns at its insufficient cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.