Economic diplomacy – Appointment of three new special representatives
Greece – Mr. Harlem Désir’s visit to Athens (February 25, 2015)
Syria – Kidnapping of Christians in the Al-Hasakah region
Economic diplomacy – Appointment of three new special representatives
Within the framework of economic diplomacy, Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, has appointed three new special representatives for economic relations with Canada, South Africa and Australia.
Mr. Jean-Paul Herteman, Chairman and CEO of the Safran Group since 2011, has been appointed special representative for economic relations with Canada. Safran has nearly 1,200 employees in Canada in 7 companies, including 3 industrial sites in Quebec and Ontario. Mr. Herteman will use his expertise to strengthen our economic relations with Canada.
Mr. Robert Hue, former Chairman of the Senate’s France-South Africa Friendship Group, has been appointed special representative for relations with South Africa. Mr. Robert Hue, who is very familiar with South Africa, will be responsible for strengthening our bilateral strategic partnership, notably by fostering trade between our two countries in the energy, transport and agri-food sectors.
Mr. Ross McInnes has been appointed special representative for relations with Australia. Mr. McInnes, who has dual French and Australian citizenship, is due to be appointed chairman of Safran in 2015. As a special representative, he will use his knowledge of Australia to strengthen our bilateral trade and promote France’s attractiveness to Australian investors.
These are all voluntary positions.
Greece – Mr. Harlem Désir’s visit to Athens (February 25, 2015)
Mr. Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs, will travel to Athens today. This is the first visit to Greece by a member of the French government since the early parliamentary elections on January 25.
Mr. Désir will be received by President of the Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who was elected on February 18, as well as by Mr. Nikos Kotzias, Minister of Foreign Affairs. He will also meet with his counterpart, Mr. Nikos Chountis.
Mr. Désir and his interlocutors will discuss key European issues as well as prospects for strengthening our bilateral cooperation.
Syria – Kidnapping of Christians in the Al-Hasakah region
France condemns the kidnapping by Daesh of almost a hundred Syrian Christians in the Al-Hasakah region. This is yet another criminal act on the part of this terrorist group.
We call for the immediate release of those who have been kidnapped and express our wholehearted solidarity with the Christian communities who should be able to live in peace in a Syria that respects the rights of all people.
France reaffirms its attachment to the presence of Eastern Christians in this region.
The only way to combat extremism over the long term is through a genuine political transition.