France's Allegations Against Russia Show Paris 'Lacks Sovereign Foreign Policy'

© REUTERS / Carlo AllegriFrance's Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault speaks during a high-level meeting on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants at the United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan, New York, US September 19, 2016.
France's Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault speaks during a high-level meeting on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants at the United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan, New York, US September 19, 2016. - Sputnik International
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On Sunday, during an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Syria, French Foreign Minister and France’s envoy to the UN lambasted the Syrian government and its allies, especially Russia and Iran.

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In a written statement for the meeting, Ayrault said Russia and Iran would become "accomplices in war crimes" if they continued to prolong the war in Syria. In particular, the minister referred to the recent bombings in Aleppo, which killed scores of people.

His stance is close to the position of the United States and Britain. Both Washington and London have accused Russia of prolonging the war.

This statement is part of the strategy France has been following since the beginning of the Syrian crisis. Paris supports military actions against the Syrian government, French senator Gilbert Roger said.

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"As for a boots-on-the-ground operation in Iraq or Syria, France will never do that. But the French government has repeatedly said it wanted to work with the Americans, Russia, the European Union and Arab countries on coordinated operations to end the war and defeat Daesh," Roger told Sputnik.

According to journalist Richard Labeviere, France does not have an independent position and follows the strategy of its NATO allies. He added that the statement by Ayrault about Russia and Iran reflects this situation.

"I think there is no change [to France’s stance towards Assad]. Paris is continuing the strategy that was started by Alain Juppe who shut down the French embassy in Damascus in 2012. Lorain Fabius continues Juppe’s anti-Assad and anti-Daesh doctrine. However, while Daesh is a real threat to France, the Syrian government doesn’t threat to France’s national interests," Labeviere said.

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According to the journalist, France will not intervene in Syria due to domestic reasons.

He also underscored that France would like to develop cooperation with Russia but at the same time Paris has to conduct its foreign policy in compliance with NATO.

"Recently, Ayrault admitted that anti-Russian sanctions are harmful for the French economy and they should be revised. At the same time, at the recent NATO summit Paris agreed on the deployment of NATO troops in Poland and the Baltics. It’s clear that France doesn’t have a sovereign stance, independent from NATO," Labeviere pointed out.

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