Latest news with #FrenchEmbassy
LBCI
2 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
France expresses solidarity with Lebanon after deadly army explosion
The French Embassy in Lebanon expressed its solidarity with the country following the deaths of six Lebanese soldiers in an explosion while inspecting a weapons depot in South Lebanon's Wadi Zibqin, Tyre. In a post on its account on the X platform, the embassy wrote: 'With deep sadness and sorrow, we received the news of the martyrdom of Lebanese Army soldiers while performing their duties in southern Lebanon. France extends its heartfelt condolences to their families and stands alongside Lebanon in this ordeal.'
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
African state scraps visa-free deal for French diplomats
Algeria has revoked a decade-old agreement granting visa-free travel to French diplomatic and service passport holders, in retaliation for what it called France's 'provocation, intimidation, and bargaining' amid deteriorating relations between the two countries. The Algerian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Paris had informed Algiers of its suspension of the 2013 Algeria-France accord that exempted diplomatic and official passport holders from visa requirements. It said a senior French embassy official was summoned to a meeting where two notes verbales were delivered, one of which denounced France's decision. 'This denunciation goes beyond the simple suspension previously notified by the French side and definitively puts an end to the very existence of this agreement,' it stated. 'It [Algiers] reserves the right to apply to the issuance of these visas the same conditions as those set by the French Government for Algerian nationals. This is a strict application of the principle of reciprocity,' the ministry added. Fragile relations between Paris and its former colony began deteriorating in July 2024, when French President Emmanuel Macron endorsed a controversial Moroccan autonomy plan for the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Last month, Algeria withdrew all privileged access cards granted to staff of the French Embassy at the country's ports and airports, describing it as a reciprocal move in response to restrictions placed on its diplomats in France. On Wednesday, Le Figaro reported that Macron had sent a letter to French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou directing him to tighten visa requirements for Algerian diplomats. He also reportedly asked his interior minister to seek support from other Schengen countries in enforcing the policy, including by consulting France before issuing short-stay visas to Algerian officials and to holders of passports covered by the 2013 agreement. 'France must be strong and command respect. It can only receive this from its partners if it shows them the respect it demands from them,' Macron said. In response, Algeria said it is additionally terminating the free provision of state-owned properties used by the French Embassy in Algiers as part of efforts to 'introduce balance' in bilateral ties.
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Al Arabiya
French backpacker found dead in Cambodia
The body of a missing French backpacker has been found in Cambodia, local police told AFP on Tuesday, saying she is believed to have died of cardiac arrest. The 23-year-old, identified by French media as Lisa Girard-Fabre from southwest France, was discovered near Siem Reap, the gateway city to Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple complex. Lieutenant Colonel Sok Meng Eang of Siem Reap police said her body was found in a dried canal on Monday, two days after she went missing. 'Police found her body in a dried canal near Siem Reap city yesterday,' he told AFP. An autopsy determined she died from cardiac arrest. Her body has since been handed over to the French Embassy, according to the officer. 'There were no injuries on her body or any sign of abuse against her,' he said, adding that her belongings, including her phone, were found at the site and her clothes were intact. French newspaper La Dépêche du Midi reported that Girard-Fabre was on a journey around the world without using airplanes. She had reportedly gone missing after heading out for a run alone.
LBCI
6 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
France renews call to end impunity five years after Beirut blast
Five years after the Beirut Port explosion, France praised ongoing efforts to uncover the full truth and deliver justice to the victims and all those affected by the tragedy. In a statement, the French Embassy emphasized that, as Lebanese authorities themselves have noted, ending impunity is essential to Lebanon's recovery. 'Without justice, there can be no rule of law,' the statement read. Cinq ans après l'explosion du #4août, la 🇫🇷 salue les efforts menés pour que toute la lumière soit faite pour rendre justice aux victimes et à tous ceux touchés par cette tragédie. Comme l'ont souligné les autorités libanaises, mettre fin à l'impunité est essentiel au… — La France au Liban 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@AmbaFranceLiban) August 4, 2025
Russia Today
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
African state revokes privileges for French Embassy
Algeria has withdrawn all privileged access cards granted to staff of the French Embassy at the North African country's ports and airports, in a reciprocal move over what Algiers says are restrictions imposed on its diplomats in France. In a statement on Saturday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said the country's embassy in Paris is facing 'persistent obstacles' in the delivery and recovery of diplomatic bags. The ministry said it had summoned the French charge d'affaires to protest the French government's 'blatant violation of international obligations.' Algiers said the measure, 'initially limited to the Algerian Embassy in France,' have been extended to consular posts as well, despite prior assurances from the French Foreign Ministry that it would review the measure. The latest dispute adds to mounting tensions between Algeria and France, whose relations have been beset by a series of diplomatic flare-ups in recent months. The two countries have often clashed over post-colonial grievances, migration policy, and France's recent backing for Morocco's stance on the disputed Western Sahara – a territory Algeria has long supported in its push for independence. In May, France announced it would expel Algerian diplomats in response to the former colony's decision to remove more than a dozen French officials, whom it accused Paris of appointing without following established protocols. Earlier in April, both countries expelled 12 diplomats in a tit-for-tat dispute sparked by the arrest of an Algerian official in France, prompting Paris to recall its ambassador. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot recently declared that ties between France and Algeria were now 'totally blocked,' despite earlier efforts by President Emmanuel Macron and his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to ease tensions. During a phone call in late March, the two leaders pledged to pursue dialogue, and days later Barrot traveled to Algiers for talks on improving mobility and strengthening what Paris described as 'effective and constructive' consular cooperation.
