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The new foreign minister of France and his mental blackouts
DER SPIEGEL | 15.05.2006 | unknown

Posted on 05/28/2006 9:31:19 AM PDT by Atlantic Bridge

Philippe Douste-Blazy 53, the new foreign minister of France set the French ambassadors into alert. Since a fairly long time is the studied physician and former minister of health and culture escorted by high ranking officials to prevent him from awkward embarrassments. The cause for that were a series of appearances where he astonished his conversational partners with gaps in his knowledge. The former major of Lourdes mixed repeated Thailand with Taiwan and Croatia with Kosovo. During a vistit in the Shoah-museum in Jerusalem he asked why no jews were deported from the United Kingdom. Problematic is also that "Douste-BlahBlah" how he is called among his officials does not speak any foreign languages. When Condolezza Rice wanted to speak with her French colleague a few months ago she was rebuffed. It was friday evening and Douste-Blazy was already in his electoral district where no interpreter was available. According to diplomats and the French newspaper "Le Monde" he putted over to the consternated secretary of state that she can call after the weekend.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: europe; france; philippedousteblazy
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To: Atlantic Bridge
Well, he can't be all that ignorant and still be a physician.

Oh, wait a minute. Howard Dean's a physician. Never mind...

21 posted on 05/28/2006 9:01:02 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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