Australia

The President spoke this morning to the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. He assured his interlocutor of the special attention he pays to strengthening bilateral relations, officially recognized with the signing of a strategic partnership in 2012.

He expressed the wish to pursue close cooperation in the framework of the United Nations Security Council, of which Australia is a non-permanent member for two years, and looking ahead to Australia’s presidency of the G20, which will begin on 1 December 2013. François Hollande will meet Mr Rudd for a private talk on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg G20 summit.

Given the tragedies many refugees are facing throughout the world, the Head of State and the Australian Head of Government decided to work closely together. The President recalled France’s full, unreserved support for the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees./.