US walks out of UN Security Council meeting during France's remarks

The US delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting when France spoke, in a protest against comments that compared Washington's voting on human rights to that of authoritarian states.The diplomatic row sparked on Friday after the US joined North Korea and Russia in voting against extending Volker Turk's term as UN high commissioner for human rights. After the vote, France's UN Mission in Geneva said: "The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore".US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz accused France of supporting someone who had been "lecturing" democratic countries while "cozying up to the world's worst oppressors".Turk has criticised Russia's war in Ukraine and Israel's conduct in Gaza.The US walkout came during an emergency Security Council meeting on Russia's war in Ukraine, as France was speaking.Senior US official Dan Negrea said the US delegation would continue to make similar stands until France "renounces their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric".The fight over Turk's second term, which was passed with 144 states in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions, reflects tensions between Washington and the UN.Washington has cut funding for UN agencies and wi...