Charles Kushner, who is the American Ambassador to France and the father of President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was summoned to the French Foreign Ministry today to explain his letter criticizing the French government in the face of the surge in anti-Semitism in France. Rather than attend the dressing down himself, Kushner sent his charge d'affaires, which is also raising eyebrows in France.
While I share in the criticism of the French government when it comes to anti-Semitism in France, I don't have enough knowledge to state whether quiet diplomacy between two friendly nations would have better served the situation.
I don't know if Kushner was out of the country or otherwise unavailable, but in my view, if he was in France, he should have probably gone to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive the protest rather than send his number two, the chargé d'affaires, to face the heat even though it is the latter position that does most of the heavy work in our embassies.
To get a look at the French reaction, the article in Le Figaro below is translated by Fousesquawk.
Summons of American ambassador to Paris: Charles Kushner sends his chargé d'affaires to replace him.
By Roman Lestani
4 hours ago
The American diplomat was summoned to the Quai d'Orsay on Monday after sending a letter strongly criticizing the action of the French government in the face of an increase in anti-Semitic acts.
That is not diplomatic language. However, the US ambassador did not go to his meeting at the Quai d'Orsay scheduled for Monday, Le Figaro learned from a French diplomatic source. Charles Kushner, father of Donald Trump's son-in-law, had been summoned to explain himself after the publication of a letter in which he openly castigated the action of the French government, and more precisely, Emmanuel Macron, in the fight against anti-Semitism.
Instead of Charles Kushner, it is the chargé d'affaires, another diplomat, charged with assuming the functions of the ambassador in cases of his/her absence or unavailability, who was summoned. The latter was received by the deputy director general of Political Affairs and Security, as well as by the director of the Americas and Caribbean (section) of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the same source confided. During the course of this meeting, it was transmitted to the chargé d’affaires that the criticism levied by the ambassador constituted an interference in the internal affairs of France. The American diplomat indicated, nevertheless, that Charles Kushner expressed his readiness to work with France in the fight against anti-Semitism.
"Remarkable work"
In his letter published on Sunday, addressed to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the American ambassador expressed "his deep concern in the face of the surge of anti-Semitism in France and the absence of sufficient action from its government to combat it." These are "unacceptable allegations" for the Quai d'Orsay, but supported by Washington on Monday, indicating that "Ambassador Kushner is the representative of the United States in France and is doing remarkable work in this role in advancing our national interests."
For the French government, these remarks from an American diplomat posted in France violate the Vienna Convention of 1961, which governs diplomatic relations and enshrines the "duty not to involve oneself in the internal affairs of states." In addition, such declarations are not commensurate with the quality of the transatlantic connection between France and the United States and the trust that should result between allies, " Paris stated.
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