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Ambassadors To Nowhere
At the historic French foreign office known as the 'Quai d' Orsay' insiders say ageing ambassadors spend their final years at the ministry in what is known as 'the corridor of death'. The semi-secret news comes from middle-rank civil servants who do not wish attribution for fear of losing their jobs.
According to the morning Paris newspaper 'Le Figaro', state auditors are concerned at the alarming number of senior diplomats doing nothing wwith substantial saleries.
French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner has issued a vigorous rebuttal. He says that it is "untrue" that "120 ambassadors ... are allegedly paid to do nothing". (Where does he get the exact figure of 120 ? Because he knows there are 120).
In tandem, French president Nicolas Sarkozy has said that he will 'scale down' 30 embassies. (This in fact means that a number will be closed).
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall, London, says there are no plans to alter the current level of British embassies, high commissions and consulates throughout the world.
Vive la France. Except without the same presence abroad.
