Speaker of the Georgian Parliament responds to the French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement that “criticism of France by US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner is unacceptable for somebody who is supposed to be a diplomat”.

“I fully share President Macron’s stance. It is correct that a state ensures its accredited diplomats operate within the framework of the Vienna Convention.

This is important because diplomats enjoy a special status, with privileges granted under the convention. In return, they are expected to exercise restraint by refraining from interference in domestic affairs.

To discuss the politics of any country, there are politicians and national leaders. However, a diplomat exists precisely for this reason, and President Macron also emphasised that they must operate within the boundaries of diplomacy. Diplomats should serve as bridges between governments, not as active participants or players in domestic politics.

Therefore, President Macron’s approach is entirely commendable. We observe that many countries themselves become targets of various forms of interference, including electoral meddling.

You may recall France’s statement regarding Elon Musk - when they had grievances with him, they clearly understood and acknowledged how important this issue is.

Hope, this experience will encourage representatives from various countries to view things differently and to reflect on their own actions”, - said Shalva Papuashvili.

Charles Kushner, the US Ambassador to France, accused Emmanuel Macron of taking insufficient measures against antisemitism and linked the country’s foreign policy positions to rising incidents of violence against Jews in France.