French Foreign Ministry remains silent over alleged US interference

By Umit Donmez

PARIS (AA) – France’s Foreign Ministry remained silent Thursday over allegations of US interference in the country’s political system.

At a news conference, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre refused to comment on allegations by former Prime Minister Francois Fillon on the subject.

The Foreign Ministry has "no comments or remarks on that matter," Legendre said in reply to a question by an Anadolu correspondent on the topic.

During a hearing Wednesday by a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the foreign interference, Fillon said the greatest number of interferences he had personally faced came from “a friendly and allied country called the United States.”

He added that during his term as prime minister from 2007-2012, he and former President Nicolas Sarkozy were spied on by the US National Security Agency.

Last week, the commission revealed that Nicolas Lerner, the head of the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) was questioned behind closed doors on Feb. 2, and his statements have now been made public.

Lerner warned lawmakers of Russian infiltration in the French political system.

- President's remarks on China-Taiwan policy

Asked by Anadolu about President Emmanuel Macron's remarks on the country’s China-Taiwan policy, Legendre said "the alliance with the US is a pillar of European security, particularly in the framework of NATO."

"It does not prevent from developing European sovereignty and autonomy," she said. "It is about Europeans mastering their fate, especially about the situation in the Indo-Pacific region."

Following a three-day visit to China, Macron said in an interview on April 5 that Europe must reduce its dependence on the US to ensure its strategic autonomy.

He stressed that Europe must avoid getting caught up in a possible China-Taiwan conflict, saying that France and Europe should not be "followers."

His remarks drew criticism on both sides of the Atlantic, with a number of European officials saying he did not speak for them.

*Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara