De Boissieu seeks ‘un bon mot’

Date: 31/10/1996

Heavy French resistance has been detected to the mindless adoption of yet another English expression in European diplomacy.

France's ambassador to the EU, Pierre de Boissieu, clearly a man not inclined to say “Bon weekend” if he can possibly avoid it, struggled manfully at a press conference on the Helms-Burton affair to stick to his native tongue.

He was trying to explain his government's position on whether or not to call on the World Trade Organisation to set up a dispute panel to arbitrate in the row between the EU and US over American action against firms with dealings in Cuba.

But his fluid français faultered when he got to the word “panel”.

De Boissieu hesitated ... he ummed and ahhed ... he looked about him for aides who could feed him the most appropriate word. But all he heard were mutterings in various shades of French accent of “panel”.

Finally, someone blurted out “une instance d'arbitrage”.

The Frenchman seized on the phrase, finished his sentence triumphantly and was then seen repeating it under his breath and writing it down, presumably to be better prepared to take on the enemy anglais next time...