Bernard Kouchner

Bernard Kouchner is a doctor and a Politician French, cofounder of Doctors without borders then of Médecins of the world, former senior official of UNO.

Since the May 18th 2007, it is European Foreign Minister and in the government Francois Fillon (renewed in the government Francois Fillon 2 on June 19th, 2007).

Biography

Origins, studies and family

Born on November 1st, 1939 with Avignon, of a Jewish father and a Protestant mother, Bernard Kouchner leads a militant life, which leads it PCF, to the beginning of the year 1960, with the PS, PRG before returning to the Socialist party.

He published various works of which God and the men , in collaboration with the Abbé Pierre, founder of the communities Emmaüs.

He is the father of 4 children: Julie, Camille and Antoine come from her first union, with Evelyne Pisier, law professor, and Alexandre of the second, with Christine Ockrent, journalist.

Humane engagement on bottom of policy

In May 1968, it is the organizer of the strike committee of the Medical college of Paris. It leaves then to the Biafra with the medical Secours French (SMF) which it contributes to transform into Doctors without borders (MSF), in 1971. After having taken part with Emmanuel d' Astier in the creation of the newspaper the Event, he collaborates regularly with the magazine Actuel throughout the Seventies. In 1979, it enters in conflict to the head of the humanitarian organization with Claude Malhuret and definitively leaves MSF to found Médecins of the world. It puts its steps in those of large the reporters, and is posted more and more in the media, in particular with the tv news, which is worth many criticisms to him, in particular after its interventions Humanitaire S in Somalia (December 1992). It is certainly one of the most famous French doctors , because of its humane engagements and its strong media presence.

It conducted campaign in the international institutions for the recognition of the right of interference, concept developed originally by Jean-François Revel. It enters to the Gouvernement French like Secretary of State in 1988, then Minister for Health and the Humanitarian action (1992 - 93).

National and international responsibilities

It created, in 1993, the Fondation for the humanitarian action. Although not being member of the PS, he is elected in 1994 on the European list of Michel Rocard and adheres, on the traces of Bernard Tapie, in 1995 with the Radical left party (PRG) of which he becomes spokesperson. He decided, with personal capacity, in favor of the reform Juppe of the Social security. He chairs Réunir association and is at the same time close to Michel Rocard and Lionel Jospin. He presents himself to various recoveries (in 1988 in North, in 1994 in the Moselle, 1996 partial legislations with Gardanne) with the legislative elections, without success. He adheres to the PS on October 6th, 1998.

Bernard Kouchner managed the Kosovo as an High representative of UNO of July 1999 to January 2001. This mission made following the vote of the resolution 1244 of the safety advice which authorized the establishment of a civil international “administrative” authority. In a country devastated by the war, Bernard Kouchner is charged to direct four branches of industry which are: humanitarian aid, civil administration, economy, and development of democratic institutions. Bernard Kouchner at the time of applying its theories.

Faithful to its mandate, it leaves the free field to the Albanian forces. Some of its charges against the Serb ones would be false according to the journalists Jacques Merlino and Michel Collon.

In spite of its states of service, its notoriety and its experiment, Bernard Kouchner were thereafter an unfortunate candidate for various stations with high responsibilities within the United Nations: High commissioner with the Refugees (HCR) in 2005 and managing director of the the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006.

Recent political commitments

Beginning 2003, it decided favorably with an international mobilization for the departure of Saddam Hussein of the Iraq summarized by the position: “neither the war nor Saddam”, affirming that the interference against the dictatorships must be total. Bernard Kouchner is in addition very critical on management and the American administration with which it reproaches for not having taken account of the lesson of the past.

In 2004, it is quoted by André Glucksmann in the American magazine Time like one of the 100 influential personalities of the world to have “in the name of the human rights, approval the American intervention in Iraq”. It is besides about at the same time that it approaches the Think tank the Cercle of the Oratory. The review Brave New World rested by the circle published a maintenance in which the future Foreign Minister already did not hesitate to hustle the generally accepted ideas.

Bernard Kouchner remained a long time with the variation of the political life of apparatus of the socialist party and allows nonorthodoxe public standpoint with respect to his political own camp: socialist militant, it is favorable to certain measurements led by the line like the Contrat news engages, or the opening of the capital of EDF. He describes itself like a militant of left of social democrat tendency .

Presidential election of 2007

The January 11th 2006, it says “candidate to primary educations to Italian” for the presidential election of 2007.

In December 2006, Bernard Kouchner indicated that he would see himself well or why not in a government of national union if Nicolas Sarkozy were elected, while reaffirming his fidelity with the Socialist party.

In February 2007, it joined the team of countryside of the socialist candidate Ségolène Royal while preaching political expansion as Francois Bayrou proposes it. In this logic, and following the call of Michel Rocard for an agreement PS-UDF, it gives an opinion for a bringing together before the first turn between Ségolène Royal and Francois Bayrou, in an interview granted to the Sunday newspaper of April 15th, 2007.

Foreign Minister and European

The May 18th 2007, although member of the socialist party, it finally agrees to take part in the government Francois Fillon as a Foreign Minister and European. The PS, by the voice of sound first secretary, specified at once that a procedure of exclusion in its opposition will be engaged quickly. François Holland was expressed in these terms: Bernard Kouchner is excluded in fact today. It is automatic, like when one presents oneself against a candidate designated by his party. Bernard Kouchner will be interdependent of this government. He thus will support the line against the socialist candidates with the legislative . .

Bernard Kouchner signed an article entitled “Why I accepted” and published in the edition dated May 20th, 2007 of the newspaper Le Monde , where he is explained on his rallying at a right government by asserting Social-démocrate.

At 67 years, he is the senior of this government whose average age is 53 years.

August 19th, 2007, it goes to Iraq for an official trip three days. The minister is the first French high ranking official to go there since the American invasion of March 2003, to which France had been opposed. He there meets representatives of all the communities, including that of the Catholiques chaldéens, and suggests a working track could be a partnership between three " piliers" : " Americans because they are there, an Iraqi government perhaps a little more skilful than that which currently exists and the United Nations with a élargie" presence; . With this occasion, he will formulate excuses with the Iraqi government to have proclaimed in the country which invited it: Beaucoup of people thinks that the Prime Minister should be changed. But I do not know if that will occur, because it seems that president (George W.) Bush is attached to Mr. Maliki. But the government does not function. .

Bernard Kouchner declares on September 16th, 2007 that the crisis of the Iranian nuclear power forces “to prepare in the worst case” which is “the war”.

Within the framework of its functions, in November 2007, Bernard Kouchner accompanies the foreign politics by France with respect to Germany, while recording with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Foreign Minister and German vice-chancellor, of which it shares spirituality, and the German singer Muhabbet a song whose objective is to promote the comprehension and the friendship of German towards the germano-Turkish community. This unusual act, though official, is accomplished in parallel of the visit of the French president in the country.

Political offices

Parliamentary functions

1994 - 1997: European deputy

Governmental functions

Minister:

from April 4th, 1992 to March 30th, 1993: Minister for the Health and the Humanitarian action of the Government Pierre Bérégovoy
since May 18th, 2007: Foreign Minister and European of the Government Francois Fillon (1) and (2)

Deputy secretary:

from February 6th, 2001 to May 7th, 2002: Deputy secretary near the Minister for the Use and Solidarity, in charge of the Health of the Government Lionel Jospin

Secretary of State:

from May 13rd to June 28th, 1988: Secretary of State near the Minister for the social Affairs and Employment, in charge of the social Integration of the Government Michel Rocard (1)
from June 28th, 1988 to May 17th, 1991: Secretary of State near the First minister in charge for the Humanitarian action of the Government Michel Rocard (2)
from May 17th, 1991 to April 4th, 1992: Secretary of State near the minister of state, Foreign Minister, in charge of the Humanitarian action of the Government Edith Cresson
from June 4th, 1997 to July 28th, 1999: Secretary of State near the Minister for the Use and Solidarity, in charge of the Health of the Government Lionel Jospin

Other executive functions

Special representative of the General secretary of the United Nations to the Kosovo and Chef of the temporary Mission of administration of the United Nations in Kosovo (MINUK) of July 1999 at January 2001.

Representing European Union within the international Group independent of eminent experts (GIIEE) charged to supervise in Sri Lanka the presidential board of inquiry on the violations of the made Human rights since August 2005.

Additional details

Popularity and criticisms

Bernard Kouchner is regularly quoted since the years 2000 in the opinion polls like one of the personalities public ( a fortiori political) most popular of the French, which is often explained by its media presence, its humane engagements causing a broad adhesion, like by its distance of the “politicking” combat (fights of apparatus, systematic dissension with the opposing side).
It is the object of criticism relating primarily to its implication in the drafting of a report/ratio ordered by the company TotalFinaElf (suspectée to minimize certain aspects of the Burmese dictatorship , this study remunerated 25.000 $ caused the " regrets" FIDH), on its adhesion with the diplomatic Interventionism and soldier of the the United States, like on its media over-exposure.

Affiliations

According to the list stopped at November 11th, 2003, he is member of the scientific Committee of orientation of the association founded by Michel Rocard and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, On the left in Europe.
Full professor of the pulpit Health and development with the CNAM (Conservatory national of arts and trades) since 2002.
Membre of the Board of directors of PlaNet Finances.
Chairman of the board of program ESTHER (Together for a Hospital Therapeutic Solidarity In Network).
Founder and BK leader the Council (SIRET 42453077200013, founded in 2003), which has in particular as a customer Total
President-founder of BK Consultants (SIRET 45156985900015, founded in 2004).
Teaching with the Harvard School off Public Health.
Founding member of the Chain of the Hope chaired by the Professor Alain Deloche.
Administrator of International Women Health Coalition.
Member of the Committee of honor of the Foundation Children Action.
He is member of the club the Century and the Fondation Saint-Simon.

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