Wooing France: VP Kamala Harris meets Macron after sub spat
PARIS ( AP) — U. S. meeting in Rome, Italy on Vice President Kamala Oct. 29. Biden didn’t forHarris and French Presimally apologize to Macron, dent Emmanuel Macron but conceded the U. S. agreed Wednesday that should not have caught their countries are ready to its oldest ally by surprise. work together again, after The secretly negotiated a diplomatic drama surU. S.- British submarine rounding a submarine deal deal with Australia led to that put the relationship at a prior deal with France a historic low. being scrapped.
Harris met with Macron Macron on Wednesday in the evening at the Elysee said he had had “a very presidential palace, as part fruitful meeting” with of a weeks-long effort by Biden. “We do share the Washington to mend relaview that we are at the betions with France, Ameriginning of a new era and ca’s oldest ally. our cooperation is abso
Harris’ four-day trip to lutely critical for this one,” Paris comes after Presihe said. dent Joe Biden told MaEchoing the French cron B4 the Thursday, U. S. had June been 4, 2020 president’s Imperial comments, Valley Press “clumsy” in handling the Harris said: “I think we submarine issue, during a share this belief that we are at the beginning of a new era, which presents us with many challenges, but also many opportunities.”
“Building on the great conversation that you and President Biden had, I look forward to the next few days. We’ll work together and renew the focus that we’ve always had on a partnership,” she added.
She said that they were to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation on space and climate change, amid other topics.
Earlier Wednesday, Harris paid her respects to Americans who died in the two world wars and are buried in a cemetery overlooking the Paris skyline. To the notes of Taps, Harris laid a wreath in their honor and met with U.S. military service members at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial.
Among the more than 1,500 graves was that of Inez Crittenden, a World War I switchboard operator from Harris’ hometown of Oakland. Noting that was “one of the few jobs women could have” at the time, Harris said, “We’re very proud of her memory and her service.”
Crittenden died on Armistice Day — Nov. 11, 1918 — from pneumonia, likely caused by the flu pandemic of the era. Harris will attend Armistice Day commemorations in France on Thursday.