French President Emmanuel Macron today requested the creation of a contact group for Syria in order to speed up a political solution to the war there.
In his first speech at the UN General Assembly, Macron, elected in May, said the Astana talks sponsored by Russia, Iran and Turkey were "not enough".
The contact group that France wants would include the five permanent members of the Security Council and "interested parties" in the conflict, Macron specified.
The French president said that challenging the nuclear deal with Iran, which the US is doing, is a "big mistake".
"Our activity in the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons has brought us a solid agreement, a strong one, which allows us to verify that Iran does not work on nuclear weapons. Today, to condemn the agreement without another proposal is a big mistake, not respecting it would be irresponsible because it is very useful agreement," Macron said.
He also condemned the "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, from where 400.000 people fled to neighboring Bangladesh.
"Military operations must stop, humanitarian access must be ensured, and justice must be established in a situation of, as we know, ethnic cleansing," Macron said.
Regarding the Paris climate agreement, the French leader said that it "will not be renegotiated" but also stated that "the door remains open" if the US decides to return.
"That agreement will not be renegotiated, it binds us (...) we will not withdraw," Macron said and added that he "deeply respects the US decision" and that "the door always remains open" but that the other signatories will continue to implement agreement.
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