Ambassador of France. He began to work at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Head of the Press and Information Department (1981-1985) and then became Head of the North Africa and Middle-East Department (1985-1989). He was Ambassador to Egypt (1989-1991), Head of the Political Affairs Department (1991-1995), Ambassador to the UN (1995-2000), and then to the Holy See (2000-2001). He is Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Institut du Monde Arabe and Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the Foundation Res Publica.