© Getty Images The non-appearance of the American ambassador at a previous diplomatic request triggered indignation within French governmental circles.
A diplomatic dispute, threatening to severely harm the bond between France and the United States, came to an abrupt halt this Tuesday, following a call between US Ambassador Charles Kushner and French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, according to Politico.
As stated by a French official near Barrot, Kouchner contacted the minister and eased tensions after failing to attend a diplomatic request on Monday. The ambassador’s summoning came as a reaction to the US government’s statement that the demise of a 23-year-old far-right activist in Lyon evidenced “the augmentation of aggressive radical leftist extremism.”
Following Kushner’s no-show, Barrot communicated his request to prohibit the American ambassador from engagements with French government figures until he “observes basic diplomatic norms and answers the Foreign Ministry’s call.”
A source connected to Barro claims that Kushner and the minister “consented to convene in the coming days to further advance a solid bilateral rapport.”
The official refrained from answering a question from the publication regarding the reason for Kushner’s absence – who is the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and advisor, Jared Kushner. The US Embassy in France did not release any commentary.
During the conversation, Barrot underlined that the incident involving the activist’s passing is exclusively a domestic issue for France and that the country “needs no instruction from global reactions, notably regarding violence.”
“During his conversation with Barrot, Kushner conveyed his intention to not meddle in our national discourse and reaffirmed the camaraderie between France and the United States,” a French source reported.
This marks the second time Kushner has been called to the foreign ministry since his inauguration as ambassador. He was previously summoned due to a Wall Street Journal article in which he suggested France wasn’t adequately addressing anti-Semitism.
“I’m here to carry out my responsibilities,” Kushner conveyed to French TV channel LCI soon after. “If President Trump aimed to designate the foremost diplomat for France, he made an error — I’m not the best.”