7 AMONG FRENCH 15-PERSON GOVERNMENT MEMBERS ARE WOMEN

Noyan Tapan
May 21 2007

PARIS, MAY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The ministers’ protfolios in the staff of
the 15-person government headed by Prime Minister of France Francois
Fillon will be distributed among 7 women and 8 men.

The Foreign Minister’s post will be accepted by socialist Bernard
Kouchner.

To recap, after Sarkozy’s victory in the elections, rumours were
circulating about preserving the Foreign Minister’s post for one
of the President’s close allies, French Parliament member Patrick
Devedjian. But, as Chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation
Hilda Choboian informed Radio Liberty, Devedjian will accept the post
of the State Council head of the state of Hauts-de-Seine of the region
of Paris which was once occupied by Nicolas Sarkozy."

Former Prime Minister of France Alain Juppe will head the Ministry of
Environment, Development, Energy and Transport, which is, by the way,
considered a new ministry in France.

Rachida Dati who has promoted very active activity during Sarkozy’s
pre-electoral campaign, received the portfolio of the Justice
Minister. By the way, Mrs. Dati became the first minister in the
history of France who is a representative of the ethnic minority in
France. Her family immigrated France from North Africa.

Parliament deputy Herve Morin accepted the Defence Minister’s
post. Michele Alliot-Marie who before headed the Defence Ministry
received the portfolio of the Minister of Internal Affairs.

The first sitting of the new government of France was on May 18,
in the second half of the day.