As a continuation of our (UN) ambassador series and at the occasion of the forthcoming French EU Presidency, the IMC Export Department, under the auspices of the Chair for International Law and Global Political Studies, was inviting the Chief of the French Mission to the UN Vienna and IAEA, Ambassador François-Xavier DENIAU for a visit and guest lecture on 13th May 2008. Addressing the faculty members, fellow students and professor bilingually in French and English, the Ambassador gave an excellent overview on the currents in the French Foreign, Security and Energy Policy, as well as the French positions in major Vienna-based UN entities (such as IAEA, ODC, UNCITRAL, OOSA, CTBTO, UNIDO, Wassenaar Arrangement, etc.). His presentation was followed by long discussions with students and professors, and by a garden-cocktail reception to mark the jubileum of 50 international events organized by Prof. Bajrektarevic for the IMC Export Department.
Ambassador Deniau’s remarks offered the IMC Export Fellows a unique opportunity to gain insights into the new French diplomatic initiatives, security and energy policy, and overall political dynamics of the country, concluding his speech by stating that: “Our (French) multilateral policy aims (are) to contribute to the regulation of the Globalisation”, (like) “the (French writer) Jules Verne (hundred years ago) challenging two types of limits: the geographical borders and the scientific limits”.
Answering the students’ questions, H.E. Deniau shared the French policy views on issues like: Middle East, nuclear issue of Iran, Barcelona process, dual-use technology and non-proliferation Intl regimes, recent launch of Galileo navigation system, Arianne Espace, ITER project, French role and position in the NATO security structure (including the French troops deployments), third and forth generation of Nuclear reactors, assistance to developing countries (through EU and UN FORA), environmental considerations in formulation of energy policy of France/EU, EU/French relations with China, good governance, and the issues of cultural diversity including the respect for multilingualism (preservation and promotion of French language).
An extraordinarily open personality and top diplomat, Ambassador Deniau built up a reputable career working for the Ministry of Economy and Finance (late 1970s), and the French Foreign Ministry since 1981, being posted in Rome, Brussels, Tunis and Santo Domingo, and obtaining several important in-house posts among which was the Deputy Director of the Minister’s Cabinet (late 1990s).
Before coming to Vienna in September 2005, Mr. Deniau served as Director for Strategy at the France’s Ministry of Defence.
H.E. holds the high graduate and post-graduate degrees from the most prestigious French schools: the Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale d’Administration.
Summing up after the half-day visit to Krems (the Ambassador’s wife accompanied him along with the senior Mission’s diplomat Ms. Genevieve Van-Rossum), content-intensive speech to and talks with fellow students and professors, with Ms. Eva Werner, IMC Vice-Rector, Mr. Max Schachner, Int’l Department, Mr. Ernst Fietz , the EXPORT Program Director, and Mr. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, Export Chair and principal host of the event, Ambassador Deniau stated that he has been very impressed by our faculty’s interest in the French affairs. The Ambassador also complimented the commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated in the questions and discussion with him (including the command of French language of our fellows). Congratulating personally to Prof. Bajrektarevic for having organized 50 international events for the IMC Export students, Ambassador finally expressed his willingness to welcome the Export fellows in his Mission as well as to return to our university soon again.
Guest lecture of Ambassador Deniau was the second bilingual event (the first one was the guest lecture of Spanish ambassador de Boado on February 26 last year, held in Spanish and English), out of 51 organized under the auspices of the Chair for Intl Law and Global Political Studies.
Our next (and concluding one for this semester) event is also from the Ambassador series category; on 28th May we will host H.E. TANG Guoqiang, China’s Ambassador.
(Baroque Hall, 10.00-11.30).
Photos: Marketing & Hermann Maglock
Text: Prof. Dr. Anis Bajrektarevic
The presentation of H.E. François-Xavier Deniau can be found here.
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