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US Walks Out of UN Security Council Meeting to Protest France's Remarks

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The U.S. delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting during France's speech to protest being equated with North Korea and authoritarian states.
  • U.S. representative Dan Negrea criticized France's stance as "hypocritical grandstanding" and lecturing.
  • The protest stemmed from a French statement criticizing the U.S. vote against extending the term of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, alongside North Korea and Russia.

A rare diplomatic protest unfolded at the UN Security Council when the U.S. delegation walked out during France's address. The American representatives staged the walkout to object to France's prior remarks that placed the United States in the same category as North Korea and other authoritarian regimes on a human rights vote.

This is why we walked out when France spoke.

— Dan NegreaU.S. representative explaining the reason for the delegation's walkout during France's speech at the UN Security Council.

Dan Negrea, the U.S. alternate representative to the UN General Assembly, sharply criticized France's position, labeling it "hypocritical grandstanding." He accused a council member of feigning moral outrage and attempting to lecture others on every issue, including the war in Ukraine and unrelated human rights matters. "That is why we walked out when France spoke," Negrea stated.

The U.S. was once a beacon of human rights, it is no longer.

— French UN missionA social media post by the French UN mission in Geneva criticizing the U.S. vote on human rights.

The diplomatic friction originated from a UN General Assembly vote on extending the term of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The U.S. voted against the extension, joining North Korea, Russia, and Nicaragua, among others. Following the vote, the French UN mission in Geneva posted on social media that the U.S. was no longer a "beacon of human rights" and stood isolated with nations like North Korea and Mali.

I remind them that the United States is still a beacon of freedom in the world.

— Dan NegreaU.S. representative countering French criticism at the UN Security Council.

Negrea countered these remarks at the Security Council, asserting that the U.S. remains "a beacon of freedom in the world" and would not dignify "politicized drivel" with its attention. French Ambassador to the UN Jerome Bonnafont responded by referencing France's role in the U.S. founding 250 years ago and reiterated France's commitment to upholding the UN Charter, human rights, and peace.

We all know the role France played in it.

— Jerome BonnafontFrench Ambassador to the UN referencing France's historical role during the U.S. founding, in response to American criticism.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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