French foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said at a press conference in France on Friday that "Egypt is an important partner to France and to the European Union, and we have ties based on trust," according to the French foreign ministry's official website. Nadal's statement came in response to a question as to whether Paris intends include the issue of human rights in Egypt on the agenda of the next EU-Egypt Association Council. Nadal said that French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has repeatedly stated that he addresses the issue of human rights directly in his diplomatic talks. Le Drian said in an interview with Le Monde newspaper on Thursday that although the issue of human rights is essential, he prefers to address the matter in an effective way, instead of addressing it through "publicity." "When I meet Egyptian President [Abdel-Fattah] El-Sisi, for example, I will be raising these issues in very frank terms, including by giving the names of individuals whom we are worried about. But if I discuss my actions in the press, that will undermine my effectiveness." Earlier this month, Le Drian met in Egypt with El-Sisi as well as the Egyptian foreign and defence ministers, where they discussed regional and international conflicts of common interest, as well as ongoing challenges including terrorism. During the visit, El-Sisi expressed appreciation for the French minister's role in boosting Egyptian-French relations in the past, particularly in the military field when he was defence minister, and Le Drian expressed his country's appreciation for the strong relations with Egypt.
