On Friday 15 February, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, met for just over an hour in Brussels to discuss a number of international issues, while avoiding the divisive issue of Iran.
According to the European External Action Service (EEAS) statement, Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan, the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, the Ukraine and even the Western Balkans were discussed, but not Iran. “I heard that they didn't particularly talk about Iran. This formed part of the discussions on the Middle East, for example, but there was no discussion about Iran”, explained a senior European official. “I think that the reference to Iran was made in the context of Syria and Afghanistan in particular”, said European External Action Service spokeswoman Maja Kocijančič, pointing out that the EU's position on Iran was clear.
Thus, avoiding the elephant in the room, the EEAS stressed the importance of transatlantic cooperation between the EU and the United States on a wide range of foreign policy issues. “From Latin America to Asia to MidEast, the United States and the EU work best when [they work] together”, emphasized Mr Pompeo. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)