CHERCHEZ LA FEMME - A LETTER TO PIRATES

Chef de district Marie France Roy is second from the left.

So now the French have arrived - well actually it was the MS "Steve Irwin" who arrived at the French. As can be seen from the above letter the Chef de district de Terre Adelie has given her permission for the anti-whaling vessel to remain in French Territorial Waters. One has to wonder just how experienced a diplomat Madam is and how she reached the decision to involve herself in an international discussion.

In her letter she makes a clear and strong statement in support of a pirate group playing at 'enforcing' an unclear international legal decision. Here NAUTICAL LOG quotes,

"Notre sympathie va dans le sens des activites menees par ce bateau pour faire respecter les preconisations de la Commission baliniere international".

As a French diplomat representing her Government this is the expression of her Governments will - or is it. She has taken a strong stance on one side always an unwise practice in politics and certainly in diplomacy.

Meanwhile back in France the French Government is left with a 'fait accompli' by the Chef de district de Terre Adelie. President Sarkozy is not one to take kindly if and when his diplomats overstep their authority. Is this such a case for France? How will the Japanese react to this diplomatic slight and with a new Prime Minister just taken Office. One has to wonder if Madam is going to spent Christmas in French Antarctica or in France explaining herself to her President.

Good Watch.

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