Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière are to meet their French counterparts on 1 October 2012. The meeting will take place within the framework of a special session of the Committee of the Franco-German Defence and Security Council.

The consultations will focus on current security policy challenges in the Middle East against the background of the repercussions of the “Arab Spring” and on issues of bilateral cooperation.

Moreover, the Ministers will discuss how to move the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) forward and current policy options within the EU and NATO. Ministers will also talk about the preparations for the 50thanniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty.

The Franco-German Defence and Security Council was established in 1988 to mark the 25thanniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty as the major bilateral platform for addressing all security and defence policy issues of relevance to both Germany and France. With no other country does Germany enjoy such close ties in this field.

The Ministers will meet in Müllheim where the Franco-German Brigade is headquartered.