BAKU, Azerbaijan, July
28. The US delegation walked out of a UN Security Council
meeting during a statement by France's representative.
The video footage of the meeting shows that after returning to
the chamber, the US representative explained the move, saying:
"That is why we walked out during France's intervention. This
disingenuous grandstanding is tiresome, but we have tolerated it
out of a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect as P5
members."
The French envoy responded by highlighting the long-standing
alliance between the two countries, noting that the United States
is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year and recalling
France's historic role in the country's founding. He also referred
to the recent illumination of the Statue of Liberty in New York to
mark the occasion.
The dispute stemmed from a vote in the UN General Assembly three
days earlier, when member states approved a second four-year term
for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. His
reappointment was backed by 144 countries, while 10 voted against
and 13 abstained.
The United States, which has been a vocal critic of Türk, was
among the countries opposing his reappointment. Following the vote,
the French government posted a message on social media saying the
United States was no longer "a beacon of human rights" and had
become internationally isolated. The post included the hashtag
#AmericaAlone.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz responded by
accusing France of "coddling some of the world's human rights
abusers."
