Claude Cheysson

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Claude Cheysson (born April 13, 1920 in Paris) is a French Socialist politician who served as Foreign Minister in the government of Pierre Mauroy from 1981 to 1984.

[edit] Career

Cheysson joined the Foreign Ministry in 1948 and became head of the liaison service with the West German authorities the following year. As he moved through the ranks of the Foreign Ministry, he served as counselor to the president of the government of French Indochina in 1952, cabinet chief of Premier Pierre Mendès-France from 1954 to 1955, and general secretary of the Commission for Technical Cooperation in Africa frtm 1957 to 1962. He was director of the Organisme Saharien from 1962 until 1965, and ambassador to Indonesia from 1966 to 1969.

In 1973, Cheysson was appointed as the French European Commissioner. His first post, which he held until 1977, was in charge of development policy, cooperation, budgets, and financial control. From 1977 until 1981, he took on the development portfolio.

In 1981 he left the Commission, and became a member of the French Government until 1985. He then joined the Delors Commission, where he was responsible for and Mediterranean policy and North-South relations until 1989.