Claude Cheysson

Claude Cheysson
Cheysson in 1981
Minister of External Affairs
In office 22 May 1981 – 7 December 1984
President	François Mitterrand
Prime Minister	Pierre Mauroy Laurent Fabius
Preceded by	Jean François-Poncet
Succeeded by	Roland Dumas
Personal details
Born	(1920-04-13)13 April 1920 16th arrondissement of Paris,France
Died	15 October 2012(2012-10-15)(aged 92) 6th arrondissement of Paris,France
Political party	Socialist Party
Alma mater	École polytechnique ÉNA

Claude Cheysson(French pronunciation:[klodʃɛsɔ̃];13 April 1920 – 15 October 2012) was a FrenchSocialistpolitician who served asForeign Ministerin the government ofPierre Mauroyfrom 1981 to 1984.

Career

Cheysson was born inParisand attended theCours Hattemer,a private school.He fled from France during World War II and joined the2nd Armored DivisionofGeneral Leclerc,serving as a second lieutenant in the 12th Chasseurs d'Afrique Regiment. He joined the Foreign Ministry in 1948 and became head of the liaison service with the West German authorities the following year. As he moved through the ranks of the Foreign Ministry, he served as counselor to the president of the government ofFrench Indochinain 1952, cabinet chief ofPremierPierre Mendès Francefrom 1954 to 1955, and general secretary of the Commission for Technical Cooperation in Africa from 1957 to 1962. He was director of theOrganisme Saharienfrom 1962 until 1965, and ambassador toIndonesiafrom 1966 to 1969.

In 1973, Cheysson was appointed as the FrenchEuropean Commissioner.His first post, which he held until 1977, was in charge of development policy, cooperation,budgets,and financial control. From 1977 until 1981, he took on the development portfolio.

In 1981 he left the commission and became a member of the French Government, serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs until 1984. (The ministry was renamed as the Ministry of External Relations, but the previous name was re-established in 1986.) He joined theDelors Commission,where he was responsible forMediterraneanpolicy and north–south relations, from 1985 to 1989.

By 1999, Cheysson joined theCollectif Liberté pour l'Afghanistan,an organization lobbying for the West to stop tolerating theTalibanand "Osama bin Laden,the millionaireSaudifinancier of terror ".

References

• Rulers.org