After just one day, Emmanuel Macron left the COP26 summit at Glasgow. He left behind fellow leaders to continue fighting for climate change commitments.
According to reports, the French President flew back to Paris last night following a few engagements. He also missed the ‘family picture’ with dozens other premiers, including Joe Biden and Boris Johnson.
After awkward encounters with Johnson, the quick departure was prompted by a bitter row about fishing rights in UK waters. The French seemed to back down after claims that the EU had rejected their hardline.
The president also called Scott Morrison, the Australian PM, a liar because of his role in the AUKUS submarine row. There was also an uncomfortable atmosphere.
It is believed that Macron was planning to return to Paris at the end of the summit’s first day. He was also present at G20 in Rome this weekend.
It could be a cause for concern as Mr Johnson, Mr Biden, and others are still in full deal-making mode today.
COP26 will continue until the end next week after the two-day summit leaders’ component. This is in the hope that it will make progress against climate change.
The opening day of the COP26 summit in Glasgow was marked by a lavish evening reception. World leaders took a group photo, but Emmanuel Macron was not there.
Boris Johnson & Emmanuel Macron had a frosty meeting in Glasgow Monday morning, as the PM welcomed the French President at the COP26 climate summit. The move came amid a furious Anglo/French row over fishing right.
The conference’s first day was capped off by a lavish royal reception at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton were all there.
However, Macron was not present in any photos of the event.
Just hours before the evening reception, Macron had confirmed that France would not pursue retaliatory action against Britain in the bitter dispute over post Brexit fishing rights.
He declared that talks between France, the UK, and the European Commission would continue tomorrow’ and denied any retaliation to Britain ‘while they’re negotiating.
The deadline was set to expire shortly after Mr Macron met Scott Morrison, an Australian PM, at the COP26 conference. Scott Morrison was publicly criticized for calling him a liar over his role in the submarine row.
When reporters asked Mr Macron if he had lied to him about the $90billion submarine contract he signed and the deal he made with the UK and the US, Macron responded: “I don’t think, but I know.”
Boris Johnson greeted Scott Morrison, Australia’s representative at the COP26 UN Climate Change yesterday
When the pair met in Rome last Wednesday, Scott Morrison, the Australian Prime Minister, and Emmanuel Macron, French President (left), exchanged awkward handshakes.
Macron was even seen laughing with Prince Charles hours earlier on Monday. But he has apparently disappeared and didn’t show up at the royal reception
At the start of the evening the Queen urged world leaders to ‘earn a place in history’ and ‘answer the call of those future generations’ in an impassioned speech to representatives.
Her Majesty, 95, who was forced to miss the conference after her overnight stay in hospital last monthVideo message from, to leaders: “To rise above the politics and achieve true statesmanship”
After the powerful speech of the monarch, the Prime Minister stated that “What we have today, as Her Majesty mentioned, is the largest gathering of world leaders in the country since the foundation and end of the Second World War. It’s an extraordinary historic event.”
“But in some ways, what are we doing today is even more significant, because we face nothing else than a mortal danger to our planet and civilisation, to the way we live.
France today denied a seized British trawler has been freed as ministers hailed Emmanuel Macron ‘stepping back’ from his retaliation threats in the bitter fishing row.
Environment Secretary George Eustice claimed the scallop vessel Cornelis Gert Jan ‘has now been released’ after being accused of fishing without a licence and detained at Le Havre.
But the vessel is still at the Normandy port and French prosecutors insist the situation remains ‘subject to legal negotiations’ – with a deposit of around £125,000 due before she can return home.
After Mr Macron stated that he would return to the negotiating table and negotiate with Britain, rather than continue on his extraordinary sabre rattling, the confusion began.
He has put to rest threats to stop British trawlers catching their catch in French ports and to reduce electricity to Jersey. He also tightened customs inspections until at most Thursday.
Nevertheless, French fishing chiefs have warned fishermen to avoid British waters in case of another outbreak of hostilities.
Mr Eustice told Sky News this morning: ‘We welcome the fact France has stepped back from the threats it was making last Wednesday.
“We’ve always said that we want de-escalation and always said that we have an open door to discuss any additional evidence France or the EU might possess on any additional vessels they would like to license.
“France has clearly decided not to implement some decisions they threatened last Wednesday. We very much welcome that, but I think there’s going be a very important meeting between Lord frost (and his opposite number) on Thursday, not only on fisheries, but on a wider range issues as well.
Jondy Ward is the skipper of the Cornelis Gert Jan and is seen today aboard the vessel at Le Havre.
George Eustice, Environment Secretary said the scallop vessel “has now been released” after being accused of fishing illegally and detained at Le Havre
Concerning the situation with the Cornelis vessel, Mr Eustice stated: “I understand that vessel was released now and I believe there’s going be some further discussions. Evidently there was an administrative error at one point.
“We haven’t got to the bottom yet, but I do understand that that vessel has been released.”
The UK appeared to be refusing to negotiate in the dispute over fishing rights. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was clear that Britain would not ‘roll over’.
However, the UK authorities insist that more evidence has been provided to show they used waters before Brexit.
Last night, Mr Macron spoke to reporters at the Cop26 summit. He said: “It’s not while we’re negotiating that we will impose sanctions.
“Since this evening, discussions have resumed on basis of a proposal that I made to Prime Minister Johnson.
“The talks should continue. Tomorrow, we’ll be able to see where things are at the end of each day. The next few hours will be crucial. He stated that he understood that the British would return to us tomorrow with new proposals.
Clement Beaune, France’s Europe Minister, tweeted late last evening that he would have talks with Lord Frost, Brexit minister, on Thursday in Paris
Macron’s close ally said that any retaliatory measures planned would not be taken before the meeting.
France is furious at the UK’s and Jersey’s refusal to allow a number French vessels to fish in their waters.
The Elysee Palace initially stood firm and stated that if Britain refused a reduction in the number of licences it issued to French fishermen it would follow its threats to British trawlers, to Jersey, and on customs inspections.