On Thursday 19 June 2008, Professor François Heisbourg, Chairman of the IISS Council, spoke on ‘France’s Defence White Paper: a National Security Policy for the 21st Century' from 1:30 pm.
The defence white paper commissioned by President Nicolas Sarkozy is due to be published in mid-June. This will be a key moment in the strategic evolution both of France and of Europe, particularly as France will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2008. Professor François Heisbourg is a member of the presidential commission responsible for the white paper. At this meeting he will brief IISS members on the policy document and on the future direction of France’s defence and security policy.
Professor Heisbourg is Chairman of the Council of the IISS and was Director of the Institute from 1987 to 1992. He is also Special Advisor to the Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, Paris and was formerly its Director. He is chairman of the Foundation Council of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. In addition to his role in the new white paper, he was a member of the French government’s Steering Committee for the White Paper on Terrorism (2005-2006); member of the International Commission on the Balkans (2004-2006); member of the European Commission’s Group of Personalities on Security Research & Development (2003-2004); and a Professor at Sciences-Po Paris (1999-2001). He also held positions in the French Foreign Ministry, Thomson-CSF and MATRA-Défense-Espace. He has written extensively on international and strategic affairs.
A live stream of the presentation and Q&A session is available.
This meeting will be chaired by Alexander Nicoll, Director of Editorial, and will take place on the Fifth Floor at Arundel House, 13-15 Arundel Street, Temple Place, London WC2R 3DX.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP Kathleen James on james@iiss.org or tel.020 7395 9109
