Paris Apologizes to Washington After Diplomatic Dispute at the UN

The French Permanent Mission to the United Nations expressed regret over the publication of a tweet criticizing the United States’ vote during a session of the UN General Assembly, in a move expected to help facilitate approval of France’s new ambassador to Washington.

In a statement on Friday, the French Permanent Mission in Geneva expressed its “regret” over the tweet, which was posted on the X platform on July 25 and questioned the United States’ commitment to human rights.

Writing in its statement, published on its website in English on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the mission said: “France and the United States recently took different positions on a vote in the UN General Assembly. This divergence was limited to a single vote and was not related to the defense of human rights.” The statement added: “Public differences of opinion on a single vote do not stand in the way of close dialogue with the United States, nor do they call into question our historic alliance or our ability to work together to promote peace, stability, and prosperity, including within multilateral forums.”

This acknowledgment of error was welcomed in Washington, where the process to appoint the new French ambassador to the United States had been suspended because of the dispute. A US State Department official, speaking to Agence France-Presse on condition of anonymity, said: “We have taken note of France’s statement, which we appreciate, and we look forward to working together to advance shared values and interests.”

The US State Department had frozen approval of the appointment of Aurélien Le Chovallerie, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron to succeed Laurent Billié as ambassador to Washington. Le Chovallerie currently serves as chief of staff to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. US approval of the French ambassador’s appointment is usually a formality, but it had remained suspended since the dispute erupted. On July 24,

the United States was one of ten countries that voted in the UN General Assembly against extending the mandate of Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, joining countries such as North Korea, Russia, and Nicaragua. After strong US opposition to the renewal of Türk’s mandate—who had repeatedly criticized US policies under President Donald Trump—the French mission posted on X: “The United States was a beacon of human rights. It is no longer.” The criticism drew an immediate response from Washington: days later, the US ambassador withdrew from a UN Security Council meeting after the French ambassador took the floor, signaling France’s protest over the remarks. The US State Department then blocked the approval process for Le Chovallerie’s appointment.