France demands answers from US envoy for ignoring summons as diplomatic feud deepens
Paris angry after Charles Kushner failed to show up to explain his remarks about the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque
France’s feud with the US ambassador to Paris took another turn on Tuesday with the French foreign minister saying the top US diplomat in France must explain himself after ignoring a French summons.
The minister suggested that Ambassador Charles Kushner will not have access to French government officials until he complies.
French authorities had summoned Kushner, the father of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. French diplomats said Kushner did not show up.
Speaking on Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the failure to attend as “a surprise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and will dent Kushner’s ability to serve as an ambassador.
“It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Barrot said, speaking to public broadcaster France Info.
He said that Kushner “is bringing difficulties on himself. Because for an ambassador to be able to do his job he needs access to members of the government. That’s the basics”.
“When these explanations have taken place, then the US ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government,” the minister said.