Argentina and France collaborate closely in defence matters
The French and Argentine delegations held talks as part of the 11th Meeting of the Bilateral Strategic Defence Dialogue. Argentina's Minister of Defence, Jorge Taiana, received the French delegation at the Libertador building in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
In the words of Minister Jorge Taina, the event aims to address "the broad agenda of exchange", and he assured that "these meetings serve to continue deepening ties".
In addition, Taina emphasised the relationship he shares with the French country, which is "very solid and varied in matters of common interest, ranging from exchanges in training to cooperation in peace missions and equipment".
The Argentine delegation also included the participation and presentation of María Fernanda Llobet, Undersecretary of Strategic Planning and Military Policy; the Undersecretary of International Affairs, Roberto De Luise; and the Joint Antarctic Commander, Brigadier General Edgar Calandín.
The French representation included interventions by the head of the Asia, Oceania, Pacific, Latin America Department of the Directorate General of International Relations and Strategy, Captain Guillaume Arnoux; the Defence Attaché in Argentina, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Cabanes; and the head of the International Security Affairs Service, Brigadier General Regis Colcombet.
The talks were opened by the Secretary for International Defence Affairs, Francisco Cafiero, who underlined the cooperation between the two countries, with "14 instances of bilateral cooperation links, exchanges of training, education and equipment between Argentina and France".
Cafiero insisted on the joint vision between nations, affirming that they share "the same view on the importance of multilateralism and the commitment to peacekeeping operations under UN mandate and gender equality policies in the Armed Forces".
The meetings have resumed two years after their last edition, where the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be one of the key issues that have not alienated the two nations. "We are coming out of the pandemic and these are times that require greater dialogue, sharing experiences and fostering mutual understanding," concluded Francisco Cafiero.
Latin America Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra