Pol Le Gourrierec (or Le Gourriérec, 15 January 1921 – 19 July 1995) was a French diplomat who was best known for an incident during his service as French Ambassador to Pakistan.
Early life
Born in Cléguérec in January 1921, [1] he was fluent in Breton as well as French. [1] [2] In January 1945, he was one of the founders, along with poet and editor Ronan Huon, of the Breton language cultural magazine, Tír na nÓg [3] [4] which merged in 1948 with Al Liamm. [2]
Diplomatic service
He had an early interest in North Africa. [5] In 1948, he joined the diplomatic service. [2]
He served as an embassy secretary in Morocco in the late 1950s. [6] He was Chargés d'Affaires in Iraq from February to September 1963. [7]: 67 [8]: 77 He was First Counselor of the Embassy in Warsaw in 1964. [9] In the late 1960s, he was Director of North African Affairs, [10]: 1076 and visited Tunisia in 1969. [11] He served as French Ambassador to Bulgaria from 1971 to 1975, [7]: 46 to Pakistan from 1976 to 1979, [7]: 87 and to the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1979 to 1982. [7]: 102
Pakistan
Background
The French had initially resisted US pressure to cancel a contract to build a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, but the deal gradually unravelled sometime in mid to late 1978, certainly by February 1979, as the French became concerned about Pakistan's intentions regarding nuclear weapons. [12]: 472 [13] [14]
Incident
On 26 June 1979, Le Gourrierec and his First Secretary, Jean Forlot, were stopped at a checkpoint. They were driving alone through the town of Kahuta some 25 miles southwest of Islamabad, in a vehicle with a local rather than a diplomatic number plate and without displaying a diplomatic flag. According to Denoël, they were driving to Islamabad, and intended to visit a long-unused military fortress, but accidentally took a wrong turn and passed near a secret nuclear bomb complex. [15]: 191 However, according to several sources, their presence was intentional. [12] There was a physical altercation with five or six men. [12]: 66 [16] [17]
Le Gourrierec was severely beaten, [14] [16] and sustained a broken tooth, while Forlot had a split skull. [18] The men who assaulted them were not bandits or thugs, as initially suggested by the Pakistani authorities, [15] but were plain-clothed members of the security forces, acting under orders. [16] [17] According to Khan, Forlot was passing on information to the CIA and may have been actively spying on its behalf. [16] [17] [19] Khan suggests that foreigners "got the message" and subsequently avoided the area, [16] but the Yugoslav ambassador later drove slowly along the perimeter wall in a show of solidarity, albeit with a diplomatic flag. [12]
Personal life
He died in Puylaroque in July 1995 at the age of 74. [20]
His son, Alain Le Gourriérec, [2] was French Ambassador to Paraguay from 1993 to 1994, [7]: 88 to Chile from 2001 to 2005, [7]: 49 and to Mexico from 2005 to 2008. [2] [7]: 81
References
- ^ a b Le Nail B. Des Bretons au Mexique. Portes du larges. 2009. ISBN 9782914612272 page 202.
- ^ a b c d e Le Nail B
- ^ Bro Nevez: Newsletter of the U.S. Branch, Issues 77-88. The Branch, 2001 [1]
- ^ Gwernig Y, Huon R, de Bellaing V. Nouvelles bilingues. an Here, 2002 [2]
- ^ Le Gourrierec P. Deux aspects de la renaissance arabe en Tunisie. École nationale d'administration (ENA). 1947 [3]
- ^ Long M. Souvenirs des premières années de l'Indépendance du Maroc 1956 -1961. Conseiller aux affaires juridiques de l'ambassade de France à Rabat. La Revue administrative. Published by: Presses Universitaires de France. 53e Année, No. 314 (MARS AVRIL 2000), pp. 118-125 [4]
- ^ a b c d e f g Liste chronologique des Ambassadeurs, Envoyés Extraordinaires, Ministres Plénipotentiaires et Chargés d'Affaires de France à l'Étranger depuis 1945. (PDF, in French). Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France). [5] Retrieved 2 Aug 2015.
- ^ Styan D. France and Iraq: Oil, Arms and French Policy-Making in the Middle East. Library of International Relations published by I. B. Tauris, 2006. ISBN 9781845110451
- ^ Journal officiel de la République française, Volume 96 France. 1964. page 5541. [6]
- ^ Documents diplomatiques français: 1968. (2 juillet - 31 décembre) edited by Ministere Des Affaires Etrangeres [7]
- ^ French Foreign Policy. Ambassade de France, Service de presse et d'information. January to June 1969, page 88. [8]
- ^ a b c d Levy A, Scott-Clarck C: Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons. Walker Books, 2007, ISBN 9780802715548
- ^ India warned would 'smash' Pakistan nukes: US files. The Economic Times. PTI Dec 23, 2010. [9]
- ^ a b National Security Archive's Nuclear Documentation Project. The United States and Pakistan's Quest for the Bomb: Newly Declassified Documents Disclose Carter Administration's Unsuccessful Efforts to Roll Back Islamabad's Secret Nuclear Program The George Washington University. 2010. [10]
- ^ a b Denoël Y. 1979. Guerres secrètes au Moyen-Orient. Nouveau Monde éditions, 2008. ISBN 9782847363951
- ^ a b c d e Khan AQ. Unsung heroes. The News International. August 04, 2014
- ^ a b c Kemp RS. The Nonproliferation Emperor Has No Clothes. MIT Press
- ^ L'Express Paris, Presse-Union. 1979 page 66
- ^ Abid A. The Secret Documents Recovered from the US Embassy, Tehran. Fore-Runners, Karachi. 1986
- ^ MatchID: LE GOURRIEREC Pol
External links
Pol Le Gourrierec (or Le Gourriérec, 15 January 1921 – 19 July 1995) was a French diplomat who was best known for an incident during his service as French Ambassador to Pakistan.
Early life
Born in Cléguérec in January 1921, [1] he was fluent in Breton as well as French. [1] [2] In January 1945, he was one of the founders, along with poet and editor Ronan Huon, of the Breton language cultural magazine, Tír na nÓg [3] [4] which merged in 1948 with Al Liamm. [2]
Diplomatic service
He had an early interest in North Africa. [5] In 1948, he joined the diplomatic service. [2]
He served as an embassy secretary in Morocco in the late 1950s. [6] He was Chargés d'Affaires in Iraq from February to September 1963. [7]: 67 [8]: 77 He was First Counselor of the Embassy in Warsaw in 1964. [9] In the late 1960s, he was Director of North African Affairs, [10]: 1076 and visited Tunisia in 1969. [11] He served as French Ambassador to Bulgaria from 1971 to 1975, [7]: 46 to Pakistan from 1976 to 1979, [7]: 87 and to the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1979 to 1982. [7]: 102
Pakistan
Background
The French had initially resisted US pressure to cancel a contract to build a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, but the deal gradually unravelled sometime in mid to late 1978, certainly by February 1979, as the French became concerned about Pakistan's intentions regarding nuclear weapons. [12]: 472 [13] [14]
Incident
On 26 June 1979, Le Gourrierec and his First Secretary, Jean Forlot, were stopped at a checkpoint. They were driving alone through the town of Kahuta some 25 miles southwest of Islamabad, in a vehicle with a local rather than a diplomatic number plate and without displaying a diplomatic flag. According to Denoël, they were driving to Islamabad, and intended to visit a long-unused military fortress, but accidentally took a wrong turn and passed near a secret nuclear bomb complex. [15]: 191 However, according to several sources, their presence was intentional. [12] There was a physical altercation with five or six men. [12]: 66 [16] [17]
Le Gourrierec was severely beaten, [14] [16] and sustained a broken tooth, while Forlot had a split skull. [18] The men who assaulted them were not bandits or thugs, as initially suggested by the Pakistani authorities, [15] but were plain-clothed members of the security forces, acting under orders. [16] [17] According to Khan, Forlot was passing on information to the CIA and may have been actively spying on its behalf. [16] [17] [19] Khan suggests that foreigners "got the message" and subsequently avoided the area, [16] but the Yugoslav ambassador later drove slowly along the perimeter wall in a show of solidarity, albeit with a diplomatic flag. [12]
Personal life
He died in Puylaroque in July 1995 at the age of 74. [20]
His son, Alain Le Gourriérec, [2] was French Ambassador to Paraguay from 1993 to 1994, [7]: 88 to Chile from 2001 to 2005, [7]: 49 and to Mexico from 2005 to 2008. [2] [7]: 81
References
- ^ a b Le Nail B. Des Bretons au Mexique. Portes du larges. 2009. ISBN 9782914612272 page 202.
- ^ a b c d e Le Nail B
- ^ Bro Nevez: Newsletter of the U.S. Branch, Issues 77-88. The Branch, 2001 [1]
- ^ Gwernig Y, Huon R, de Bellaing V. Nouvelles bilingues. an Here, 2002 [2]
- ^ Le Gourrierec P. Deux aspects de la renaissance arabe en Tunisie. École nationale d'administration (ENA). 1947 [3]
- ^ Long M. Souvenirs des premières années de l'Indépendance du Maroc 1956 -1961. Conseiller aux affaires juridiques de l'ambassade de France à Rabat. La Revue administrative. Published by: Presses Universitaires de France. 53e Année, No. 314 (MARS AVRIL 2000), pp. 118-125 [4]
- ^ a b c d e f g Liste chronologique des Ambassadeurs, Envoyés Extraordinaires, Ministres Plénipotentiaires et Chargés d'Affaires de France à l'Étranger depuis 1945. (PDF, in French). Ministry of Foreign Affairs (France). [5] Retrieved 2 Aug 2015.
- ^ Styan D. France and Iraq: Oil, Arms and French Policy-Making in the Middle East. Library of International Relations published by I. B. Tauris, 2006. ISBN 9781845110451
- ^ Journal officiel de la République française, Volume 96 France. 1964. page 5541. [6]
- ^ Documents diplomatiques français: 1968. (2 juillet - 31 décembre) edited by Ministere Des Affaires Etrangeres [7]
- ^ French Foreign Policy. Ambassade de France, Service de presse et d'information. January to June 1969, page 88. [8]
- ^ a b c d Levy A, Scott-Clarck C: Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons. Walker Books, 2007, ISBN 9780802715548
- ^ India warned would 'smash' Pakistan nukes: US files. The Economic Times. PTI Dec 23, 2010. [9]
- ^ a b National Security Archive's Nuclear Documentation Project. The United States and Pakistan's Quest for the Bomb: Newly Declassified Documents Disclose Carter Administration's Unsuccessful Efforts to Roll Back Islamabad's Secret Nuclear Program The George Washington University. 2010. [10]
- ^ a b Denoël Y. 1979. Guerres secrètes au Moyen-Orient. Nouveau Monde éditions, 2008. ISBN 9782847363951
- ^ a b c d e Khan AQ. Unsung heroes. The News International. August 04, 2014
- ^ a b c Kemp RS. The Nonproliferation Emperor Has No Clothes. MIT Press
- ^ L'Express Paris, Presse-Union. 1979 page 66
- ^ Abid A. The Secret Documents Recovered from the US Embassy, Tehran. Fore-Runners, Karachi. 1986
- ^ MatchID: LE GOURRIEREC Pol