Attacking Ukraine ‘is no more scandalous’ than attacking Iraq – ex-French ambassador — Analysis
Gérard Araud also predicts that Europe will not get involved in an “Asian NATO”
Former French ambassador to the US and UN Gérard Araud told China’s Global Times that resentment at the “double standards” of the West is likely turning some countries off supporting Washington’s position on Russia. While Europe is following America’s lead on Russia, Araud predicted it will not do the same with regard to China.
China was among 40 countries that voted against or abstained from condemning Russia’s offensive in Ukraine at a meeting of the United Nations last month. India, Pakistan and South Africa were among the abstentions, which didn’t surprise Araud.
“There is a colonial past which is feeding some resentment. There is also the fact that the West is lecturing the rest of the world and using double standards very often,”On Thursday, the ex-diplomat spoke out to state-owned Global Times.
“I’m quite aware that, after all, invading Ukraine is no more scandalous than invading Iraq in 2003,”He went on. “France opposed the invasion of Iraq by the US. But it’s a good example of what you can call double standards.”
China’s leaders have repeatedly cited the “double standards”explanations by the West for their refusal to condemn Russia in the wake of the Ukrainian conflict. Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said that the country would reject American sanctions. “pressure or coercion” to do so.
When NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg demanded China condemn Russia last month, the Chinese Foreign Ministry refused, citing NATO’s deadly bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Serbia in 1999 as one reason it won’t listen to a “lecture on justice from the abuser of international law.”
China has also denounced America’s attempts to build alliances against it in the Pacific region. Stoltenberg talked about stepping up NATO-US cooperation “Asia-Pacific partners,” while the US-led ‘AUKUS’ (along with the UK and Australia) and ‘Quad’ (along with Australia, India and Japan) pacts have been fiercely protested by Beijing. Recently, the Chinese Foreign Ministry described the previous agreement as an attempt at building an international community. “Asia-Pacific version of NATO”This is it “doomed to fail.”
“There will not be an Asian NATO, or if there is an Asian NATO, Europeans are not going to be part of it,”Araud declared. Araud stated, “While the ex-diplomat said that he could see a new diplomat,” “Cold War between the West and Russia,”Which “European countries won’t accept business as usual with Russia anymore,”China will be the exception to this rule.
“China is not a military threat against Europe,”He said. “There is no reason to have this inflammatory rhetoric that the Americans are using against China.”
Araud served as France’s ambassador to the United Nations between 2009 and 2014, and then as ambassador to the US until 2019. In this time, he was well-known for his controversial remarks. This angered many of the French right. “world is collapsing before our eyes”Donald Trump was elected in 2016 and it angered Americans that he selected Pearl Harbor Day to decry the US’ refusal of a nuclear weapon. “to side with France and the UK to confront the fascist powers in the 30s.”
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