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France to raise migrant crisis issue during 2+2 meeting with Russia

The spokeswoman added that her country maintains a "demanding dialogue" with Russia

PARIS, November 12. /TASS/. France is set to raise the issue of the migrant crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border during its 2+2 consultations with Russia in Paris on Friday, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre has told the BFM radio.

"French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defense Minister Florence Parly will express their firm stance on this matter during a meeting with their Russian counterparts [Sergey Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu] on Friday morning," she said.

The spokeswoman added that her country maintains a "demanding dialogue" with Russia, which was launched when French President Emmanuel Macron met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in 2019.

"We will raise problems on which we disagree, but will also touch upon questions that provide an opportunity for consent, such as relations with Iran and other issues," Legendre said, describing the dialogue as "very useful."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier that the meeting of the Russian-French cooperation council on security issues will be held on Friday, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minsiter Sergei Shoigu representing Russia, and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defense Minister Florence Parly speaking for France. During the exchange of opinions, the sides are expected to discuss issues of strategic stability and European security, non-proliferation and arms control, as well as prevention of an arms race in space.

According to Zakharova, the meeting is expected to have a very broad regional agenda as well.

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