Andorra wants to sign a global cross-border agreement with France
The head of the Government of Andorra, Antoni Martí, met today in Paris with his French counterpart, Edouard Philippe, to review the different cooperation issues between the two countries and to express their intention to sign a global cross-border agreement.
"The relations are very good with the French Republic, we have many open issues and we have to try to sign a global agreement (...) of cross-border cooperation that addresses each and every one of the issues, which are many and varied, and that order all these agreements with France, "Marti said in a statement to the press.
Its objective would be to "clarify and order all bilateral matters" in a single document, which would "allow us to visualize very clearly the excellent relations" with France, he said.
The head of the Andorran government has highlighted the "important interests" they have with France, whose president is co-Prince of Andorra, but also with ties in other areas, such as education.
"We have excellent relations in the area of social security, we are working on agriculture, in the search for future alternatives to the cultivation of tobacco," added Martí.
In that regard, he pointed out that both countries are fulfilling their commitments in the fight against tobacco smuggling.
After his interview of less than an hour with Philippe at the Palace of Matignon, the official headquarters of the French prime minister, Martí met at the Elysee with the special representative for Andorra of the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
The infrastructures have occupied a large part of the agenda among the heads of government, following the thread of the agreements reached with the previous prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve.
In this sense, Martí has indicated that France should continue financing the unfolding of the road that goes to Tarascó, so that "it is faster" the link from the Principality to Tolosa de Llenguadoc.
He recalled that with the previous government an agreement was signed to invest 22 million euros, half financed by Andorra, to reinforce the security of the axis between Acs and Pas de la Casa, national 20 and 22, regularly cut by avalanches.
Martí recalled that these works will be completed next year.
Philippe has shown Marti "unequivocal support" in the negotiations with the European Union to "find a good association agreement," said the head of the Andorran government.
They have also talked about energy and Martí has assured that they are working so that "French investments in Andorra can emerge" given their "international leadership in climate change", with the aim that the Principality "is less dependent and has more energy sovereignty" .
"If there is a pioneer country in Europe in this field, it is France," he said.
Martí has been "sure" that the current French president, Emmanuel Macron, will visit Andorra throughout his term, as almost all his predecessors have done, but he has considered it desirable that he do so once the new Parliament has been elected, in half a year.
The Andorran prime minister met with him during the UN General Assembly in New York and will do it again next week during the summit of the Francophonie of Yerevan in Armenia.
In addition, before the end of his duties, he will maintain a balance meeting with him, as with the other co-prince, because it is "an institutional obligation".
