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Bernard Kouchner, France's Foreign Minister

A human rights activist before he became France's Foreign Minister, how does Bernard Kouchner reconcile his beliefs with the political realities of office?

Bernard Kouchner was a doctor and an activist when he helped set up Medecins Sans Frontieres back in the 1970s, aiming to deliver medical aid across borders, wherever it was needed.
Since then he has taken his human rights activism to bring change at the United Nations and the highest levels of French governnment.
He talks to Owen Bennett Jones about how he reconciles his beliefs with the political realities of office -- dealing with events in Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and Guinea for example.
And he explains why wanted to pay his respects to former leaders Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan and Omar Bongo of Gabon.

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 26 Oct 2009 04:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 23 Oct 2009 23:32GMT
  • Sat 24 Oct 2009 03:32GMT
  • Sat 24 Oct 2009 11:32GMT
  • Sun 25 Oct 2009 07:32GMT
  • Mon 26 Oct 2009 04:32GMT

91热爆 World Service Archive

This programme was restored as part of the World Service archive project