France on Monday said it "does not intend to answer favourably" to Donald Trump's invitation to join the "Board of Peace" set up to rebuild Gaza. In response, the US leader threatened 200 percent tariffs on French wine and champagne.
The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza, but the charter does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian territory.
"I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and champagnes. And he'll join. But he doesn't have to join," Trump said, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron.
This comes on the heels of Trump's threat to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on a string of European countries unless Greenland is ceded to the United States.
Macron's entourage told AFP on Monday that France "does not intend to answer favourably" to the invitation to join the Board of Peace, initiated by Trump.
"Tariff threats to influence our foreign policy are unacceptable and ineffective," a source close to Macron said.
"It [the charter] raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be called into question," the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, added.
The French foreign ministry issued a statement late Monday, reiterating its commitment to the existing charter of the United Nations.
"This remains the cornerstone of effective multilateralism, where international law, the sovereign equality of States and the peaceful settlement of disputes prevail over arbitrariness, power relations and war," the ministry added.
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France is one of the five veto-wielding, permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with the United States, China, Russia and Britain.
The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The board's charter describes it as "an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict."
Seen by French news agency AFP, the document says that member countries will serve no longer than three years, subject to renewal by the chairman. That is unless they "contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter's entry into force."
UN pushes back
Trump has regularly criticised the United Nations and announced this month that his country will withdraw from 66 global organisations and treaties – roughly half affiliated with the UN.
The world body – which suffers chronic funding shortfalls and political deadlock in the Security Council – pushed back Monday.
La Neice Collins, spokesperson for the president of the UN General Assembly, told reporters "there is one universal, multilateral organisation to deal with peace and security issues, and that is the United Nations."
Daniel Forti at the International Crisis Group, a think tank, said at least 60 countries have reportedly been invited to the Board of Peace. He said some may view it as a way to curry favor with Trump, but many member states would see it as power grab.
"Actively buying permanent seats in an exclusive club sends a very worrying signal about what transactional and deals-based international diplomacy may mean in the future," he told AFP.
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Trump would have the power to remove member states from the board, subject to a veto by two-third of members, and to choose his replacement should he leave his role as chairman.
Ian Lesser at the German Marshall Fund think tank told AFP he would be surprised if many countries are willing to sign up "at a time when most are focused on preserving the existing multilateral institutions."
The White House said there would be a main board, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern devastated Gaza, and a second "executive board" that appears designed to have a more advisory role.
Trump has named as board members Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, senior negotiator Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Israel has objected to the line-up of a "Gaza executive board" to operate under the body, which includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi.
(with AFP)
