{
  "id": 7063534,
  "title": "France apologises for criticising US’ human rights record after backlash",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/france-apologises-for-criticising-us-human-rights-record-after",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-13T05:03:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367336/france-apologises-criticising-us-human-rights-record-after-backlash"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "France's permanent mission to the United Nations issued an apology on Friday for a social media post that criticized the United States' commitment to human rights. The mission stated that France and the US recently held different positions on a vote at the United Nations General Assembly, but emphasized that this disagreement did not undermine their close dialogue or historical alliance. The apology was well-received by Washington, which had delayed the appointment of France's next ambassador to the US due to the controversy. A US State Department official expressed appreciation for France's statement and indicated a willingness to continue working together to advance shared values and interests. The dispute arose after the US voted against extending Volker Turk’s term as UN human rights chief, joining a list of countries including North Korea, Russia, and Nicaragua. France's criticism of the US followed its strong opposition to Turk's reappointment, which the French mission deemed a reflection of the US’s changing stance on human rights.",
  "summary": "The French UN mission said it regretted an online post criticising how the United States voted during a UN General Assembly meeting, with US officials saying on Saturday that Washington appreciated the statement. France’s permanent mission to the UN published the apology on Friday, saying it regretted a social media post criticising the US’ commitment to human rights. “France and the United…",
  "key_points": [
    "France's UN mission apologized for criticizing US' human rights record.",
    "US delayed appointing France's next ambassador due to controversy.",
    "US expressed appreciation for France's statement and willingness to continue cooperation."
  ],
  "editors_take": "France's apology signals a desire to repair relations with the US, suggesting that diplomatic ties can be prioritized over public criticism, even on sensitive issues like human rights.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}