PARIS/SOFIA: US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Paris on Thursday to pay tribute to victims of last week’s militant attacks, after a furore over the absence of a senior US official at a mass rally in the wake of the shootings.

Kerry’s visit comes after the White House was forced to admit it had made a mistake in not sending a higher-ranking representative to the mammoth march against terrorism attended by dozens of world leaders on Sunday.

The US was conspicuous by its absence as images of the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Palestine, Israel and others linking arms at the head of the procession were beamed around the globe.

“Maybe they said to themselves there was no big march after Sept. 11 2001 and that their presence in Paris wasn’t necessary?” French President Francois Hollande said in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper published Wednesday.

Earlier, Kerry arrived in Sofia late Wednesday on his first official visit after a day of talks in Geneva seeking to make progress toward an elusive Iran nuclear deal, and was due to leave for Paris late Thursday.

The top US diplomat held talks with Bulgarian leaders on Thursday seeking to help the cash-strapped former communist country wean itself off Russian energy supplies, battle rampant corruption and improve security.

In NATO and European Union member Bulgaria, Kerry met President Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov for talks on security, defence cooperation, energy issues and bolstering the rule of law.

“Bulgaria is an ally that is in need of strong support at the moment. The economy has been somewhat sluggish. They have significant energy dependence problems,” a senior State Department official told reporters.

Famous francophile Kerry has defended his absence at the side of America’s “oldest ally” due to prior engagements, while the White House said organising security for President Barack Obama at such short notice was too complicated.

“I would have personally very much wanted to have been there,” Kerry said on a visit to India on Monday.

“But that is why I am going there on the way home, to make it crystal clear how passionately we feel about the events that have taken place there.”