A report from a British newspaper on Friday said that the Biden administration did not include an impassioned plea from French President Emmanuel Macron for the U.S. to share in the “moral responsibility” that the nations have to protect Afghan nationals that are in danger. The two presidents spoke on Thursday regarding the ongoing situation in Afghanistan.
The Guardian reported:
The French government’s readout of the conversation was released on Friday, a day after the call took place, and indicates that Macron emphasized ensuring the safe evacuation of Afghan citizens who assisted American and European troops over the past 20 years at great risk to themselves and their families.
The press releases from Élysée Palace and the White House are similar in nature, as both governments discussed evacuation efforts from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the nation following Democrat President Joe Biden’s chaotic pullout from the country.
The read out of the call between the two heads of government is not a transcript but rather a rough summary meant to capture the gist of what was said.
The portion of the two read outs of the call that is in question comes from the second paragraph in France’s summary of the call, which states:
The head of state emphasized our collective moral responsibility toward the Afghan men and women who need our protection and who share our values. We cannot abandon them.
The Guardian said that when asked about the differences between the two statements, the White House referred back to the press release.
Élysée Palace said in a press release:
President Macron spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden this evening about the situation in Afghanistan. He underscored the absolute need for swift, concrete coordination between the allies to ensure the evacuation of our citizens, Afghan men and women who worked for the allies, and those who are in danger.
The head of state emphasized our collective moral responsibility toward the Afghan men and women who need our protection and who share our values. We cannot abandon them.
The two presidents agreed to strengthen their efforts in the humanitarian and political arenas and on counterterrorism in the days to come, particularly within the framework of the G7. It is absolutely urgent and it is a collective responsibility, for which the U.S. President assured President Macron of his support.
The White House said in a press release:
President Joe Biden and President Emmanuel Macron of France spoke today about developments in Afghanistan. They lauded the tireless efforts of their personnel working closely together in Kabul on the evacuation of their citizens, the brave Afghans who have stood by us and our NATO partners, and other vulnerable Afghan nationals. They underscored the importance of continued close coordination among allies and democratic partners on Afghanistan, including through multilateral fora, on the provision of humanitarian assistance and support for refugees. They welcomed the virtual G7 leaders’ meeting next week to help coordinate these efforts and discuss a common approach.