Twin French-German Security Council Presidencies - Press Conference

Joint Press Conference by Ambassador François Delattre (France), President of the Security Council for the month of March and Ambassador Christoph Heusgen (Germany), President of the Security Council for the month of April.
At a press conference launching the twin French-German presidencies of the Security Council, French ambassador François Delattre said the "innovative" approach was part of a joint effort to “reform, renew, and recast multilateralism” as a principle “at a time when this is more necessary than ever.”
Speaking to reporters in New York today (01 Mar), Delattre said the objective of the twin presidencies was to galvanise the Franco-German partnership at the UN, to uphold European values, and to defend multilateralism. He said multilateralism was currently under siege at a time when it is need more than ever. He said the presidencies will have three priorities, including the situation and role of women in conflict, implementing humanitarian law, and combating the financing of terrorism.
The French ambassador stressed that despite close coordination and collaboration between the two missions, these were separate presidencies.
France and Germany will preside over the Council for the months of March and April respectively.
German ambassador Christoph Heusgen said the partnership seems natural to the two ambassadors, however many people see “the historic context of two countries that fought three wars in the span of 70 years.” He said since the Franco-German rapprochement under the leadership of Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer, the two countries “have found to a friendship, a relationship, which is as intense as you cannot imagine” adding that what has been achieved “from arch enemies to the closest friends is something that gives an example.”
Heusgen said the presidencies would work on improving the working methods of the Security Council to give room to more discussions and exchanges.
Asked about the commitment of the United States to the shared values being promoted by the two countries in the Security Council, the German ambassador said, “Let’s be honest, I mean we have a situation with our American friends where there are Security Council resolutions that have been adopted jointly and which now the US administration is not following through. Just two examples: the JCPOA that was endorsed by a Security Council Resolution and the American Government has taken its distance from it. Or take the decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This is against Security Council Resolution 478. So, when we say we want to strengthen multilateralism, that we want to strengthen a rules-based order, the addressees are all those who don’t follow a rules-based order. And unfortunately, we have seen that the US administration, for instance on these examples, have not follow a rules-based order.”