PARIS, Aug 16: Pierre Brochand, 60, has been named new director of France’s intelligence agency — Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure (DGSE).

His appointment comes as a surprise as Mr Chirac had let it be known to his confidants that he had been impressed with the accomplishments of Mr Brochand’s predecessor, Jean-Claude Cousseran, and intended to retain him.

But pressure brought to bear by the French president’s rightwing Gaullist party stalwarts apparently resulted in the decision to name somebody closer to their line of thinking.

After being re-elected to the French presidency on May 5, Mr Chirac had decided to sack the country’s other principal espionage figure, Jean-Jacques Pascal, director of the DST (the French equivalent of the FBI), for having leaked derogatory information on the French head of state pertaining to his financial relations with the presidents of Lebanon and Japan.

Opinion

Editorial

New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.
Ceasefire, finally
Updated 26 Mar, 2024

Ceasefire, finally

Palestinian lives matter, and a generation of orphaned Gazan children will be looking to the world community to secure justice for them.
Afghan return
26 Mar, 2024

Afghan return

FOLLOWING a controversial first repatriation phase involving ‘illegal’ Afghan refugees last November, the...
Planes and plans
26 Mar, 2024

Planes and plans

FOR the past many years, PIA has been getting little by way of good press, mostly on account of internal...