French Senate

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is in Paris for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. 

According to French diplomatic sources, Macron is anticipated to "commend the Patriarch's dedication to interfaith dialogue and tolerance." 

PARIS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who is on an official visit to France, met with French Senate President Gerard Larcher in Paris on Monday to discuss advancement of bilateral ties, Serbia's EU path as well as regional and global affairs.

An Azerbaijan parliamentary commission called Thursday for the expulsion of French companies from the oil-rich country, including energy giant TotalEnergies, in the latest deterioration of relations between Baku and Paris.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly hit out at France for criticising Baku's Karabakh offensive last year, and for plans by Paris officials to help arm neighbouring Armenia.

The purchase comes as French lawmakers express concern over a Franco-German project to develop a successor to the Rafale. The Future Combat Air system, as it is known, is not expected to enter service before 2045 or 2050, according to the French Senate's defense committee, writes Defense News.

Hackers from the Russian group NoName057(16) announced that they blocked access to the website of the Bulgarian Parliament, as well as to the port of Varna. In March of this year, the same group paralyzed the website of the French Senate, several institutes and the naval company Naval Group.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with a French Senate delegation in Belgrade on Wednesday to discuss all major affairs, from the situation in the region and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to strengthening of political dialogue and expansion of bilateral and economic cooperation, especially in the field of new large-scale investments.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned France's ambassador to Türkiye Herve Magro on March 27 and "strongly condemned" the French Senate for hosting the YPG and its female affiliate YPJ, diplomatic sources have said.

Ankara "does not accept" the hosting and awarding of the members of the YPG and YPJ with "medals of honor" by the French Senate, the Turkish officials told the envoy.

The French senate on Feb. 15 approved the return of 15 artworks looted from Jews during World War II, as part of efforts by the government to accelerate restitutions.

The vote authorizes public museums holding the works, including the world-famous Musee d'Orsay in Paris, to hand over the property to the heirs of the original owners.

The Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) rejected remarks in a French Senate report about the work of the Institut du Bosphore (Paris Bosphorus Institute), saying its claim does not comply with the facts and aim to restrict the freedom of expression.

Major parties in Turkey's parliament on Nov. 27 issued a joint declaration condemning the French Senate's resolution on Upper Karabakh.

"As the political parties that have parliamentary groups in the Turkish parliament, we strongly condemn the French Senate's resolution on Nov. 25, 2020 that has been approved in defiance of the law, morality and fairness," read the declaration.