John Kerry awarded with France’s highest honour

US Secretary of State John Kerry is now an officer in France’s Legion of Honor.Calling him a “friend to France, the Foreign Ministry said he earned the distinction for “his indefatigable efforts in favor of peace.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is now an officer in France’s Legion of Honor.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (R) reacts with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry after he was awarded the Legion d'Honneur medal, at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France, December 10, 2016. (REUTERS Photo)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault bestowed the award on Kerry today after the two held talks on Syria’s war. Calling him a “friend to France,” the Foreign Ministry said he earned the distinction for “his indefatigable efforts in favor of peace.”

Accepting the award, an emotional Kerry recalled visiting Normandy D-Day beaches as a child with his French mother, and watching her cry.

“That’s when I began to understand the cost of war, and the need for all of us to keep fighting for peace, always.” He also hailed Napoleon for creating the Legion.

Kerry has visited Paris countless times as secretary of state for high-level diplomatic meetings on Syria, Ukraine and other hotspots.