Kerry to Visit France After U.S. Faulted for Rally Presence - Bloomberg

Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to France to consult with President Francois Hollande and express solidarity in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks.

The White House has come under criticism for failing to show a visible presence at a rally in Paris yesterday that was attended by 56 world leaders. The largest crowd in French history -- more than 3.7 million strong -- turned out for rallies across the country.

“The United States has been deeply engaged with the people of France since this occurred,” Kerry told reporters in Gujarat, India, when asked about criticism that the U.S. didn’t have a senior official present for the Unity March. “We have offered from the first moment our intel,” and help, Kerry said.

At the time of the march, Kerry -- a French speaker with long ties to France -- was in India for meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to attend a business event. The U.S. was represented by the Ambassador to France, Jane Hartley.

Thousands of police and soldiers were deployed for the march to mark France’s worst terrorist attack in more than half a century. Among world leaders present were Prime Minister David Cameron of the U.K., German Chancellor Angela Merkel, King Abdullah of Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hundreds of demonstrators march from the Newseum to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during the Unity Rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 11, 2015. Photographer Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images Close

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Hundreds of demonstrators march from the Newseum to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during the Unity Rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 11, 2015. Photographer Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images

Kerry said the U.S. had offered France security assistance.

“The president and our administration have been coordinating very, very closely with the French on FBI matters, intel, law enforcement across the board, and we will continue to make available any assistance that may be necessary,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nicole Gaouette in Washington at ngaouette@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net Jeanette Rodrigues

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