Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle had a telephone conversation today with Michèle Alliot-Marie, the new French Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to cooperate closely on international and European political issues.

Ms Alliot-Marie gladly accepted the Federal Foreign Minister’s invitation for her to make an inaugural official visit to Berlin. An initial meeting is already scheduled for the upcoming NATO summit in Lisbon (19-20 November).