Sawt Falasteen - Paris says US envoy pledges not to 'interfere' in France affairs

The new diplomatic row between the two NATO allies broke out after Kushner flouted a summons over the US administration denouncing what it called "terrorism" and left-wing violence in France after the fatal beating of far-right activist Quentin Deranque, 23, earlier this month.

France blocked the ambassador -- whose son Jared is married to Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka -- from having access to French government ministers until he explained himself.

A member of Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot's team on Tuesday said that Kushner had called him.

"The latter reiterated the reasons that had led to the summons: France cannot accept any form of interference or manipulation of its national public debate by the authorities of a third country," they told AFP.

"The ambassador took note, expressed his willingness not to interfere in our public debate, and recalled the friendship that binds France and the United States."

There was no official public comment from the US embassy on Tuesday.

France has repeatedly said it will not tolerate attempts to intervene in its affairs and use tragedy for political purposes.

Barrot earlier on Tuesday said Kushner would only be able to resume his duties after he provided an explanation over his failure to respect "the most basic customs of diplomacy".

He urged him to explain himself "so that he can resume the normal exercise of his duties as ambassador".

"It's the basics," a visibly irritated Barrot told broadcaster France Info, calling Kushner's no-show a "surprise".

Kushner, 71, a multimillionaire real estate developer and former attorney who spent time in prison for tax evasion and other crimes -- before being pardoned by Trump in 2020 -- is not a professional diplomat.

Kushner was already summoned to the French ministry last year but skipped that meeting as well, sending an official instead.

- 'Creating difficulties' -

"He is creating difficulties for himself, because for an ambassador to be able to do his job, he needs to have access to members of the government," Barrot said earlier Tuesday.

"Once explanations have been provided, the US ambassador to France will naturally regain access to the French government."

A diplomatic source had told AFP the ambassador cited "personal commitments" and sent a senior embassy official instead.

Barrot stressed that the incident would not affect the Franco-US relationship on the whole.

But he reiterated that France would not tolerate intervention in its domestic affairs.

"We do not accept that foreign countries can come and interfere in, then insert themselves into, our national political debate, whatever the circumstances," he said.

"I believe all French people share the same feeling."

Deranque died from head injuries following clashes between radical-left and far-right supporters on the sidelines of a protest against a politician from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party in Lyon on February 12. His death has sparked tensions in France.

Barrot said Paris also wished to raise the issue of US sanctions against several European figures, including former European commissioner Thierry Breton.

Kushner's behaviour raised eyebrows even among US diplomats.

"One of the basic rules is that when you are summoned by the host country's foreign minister, you show up. On time," Charles Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Venezuela, said on X. "It's not optional."

In December 2024, Trump defended the choice of Kushner as France's envoy.

"It's a great thing because he's in our family," Trump told the French magazine Paris Match.

N.Shalabi--SF-PST