France expresses "regret" to Washington after a diplomatic dispute between the two countries at the UN

The mission wrote in its statement, published on its website in English on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, "France and the United States recently took differing stances on a vote in the UN General Assembly. This divergence was limited to a single vote and had nothing to do with defending human rights."

The statement added, "Public differences of opinion on a single vote do not stand in the way of close dialogue with the United States, nor do they call into question our historic alliance or our ability to work together to promote peace, stability, and prosperity, including within multilateral forums."

This acknowledgment of the mistake was well-received in Washington after the appointment procedures for the new French ambassador to the United States had been suspended due to the dispute.

A U.S. State Department official stated, "We have taken note of France's statement, we appreciate it, and we look forward to working together to promote shared values and interests."

The U.S. State Department had frozen approval for the appointment of Aurélien Lechevallier, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron to be ambassador to Washington, succeeding Laurent Bili.

Lechevallier currently serves as chief of staff to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

U.S. approval of the French ambassador choice is usually a formality, but it had remained suspended since the dispute erupted.

On July 24, the United States was one of ten countries that voted in the UN General Assembly against extending the mandate of Volker Türk as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, joining countries such as North Korea, Russia, and Nicaragua, among others.

Following Washington's fierce opposition to renewing the mandate of Türk—who has repeatedly criticized U.S. policies under President Donald Trump—the French mission wrote on the X platform, "The United States used to be a beacon of human rights. That is no longer the case."

This criticism met with an immediate reaction from Washington, as the U.S. ambassador walked out of a UN Security Council meeting days later when the French ambassador took the floor, in protest against these remarks.

The U.S. State Department then blocked the approval procedures for Lechevallier's appointment.