Belgium calls back Paris ambassador

http://www.flandersnews.be/cm/flande...s/070831_paris

Belgium calls back Paris ambassador

Fri 31/08/07 - The Belgian ambassador in Paris Pierre-Dominique
Schmidt has been relieved of his duties and called back to Brussels,
admid accusations that he falsified documents in order to obtain extra
credit from a bank. The Foreign Ministry has opened an enquiry and Mr
Schmidt will face displinary measures, if the acussations are proved
to be true.
The ambassador has also come under fire from the head of the Belgian
House in Paris.
(VRT)
The Belgian house is a house for Belgian students that are studying in
the French capital.

The Ambassadors is the Chairman of the House's Board and according to
its Director, Mr Schmidt has a stange approach to handling the Belgian
House's financial affairs.

Mr Schmit is also said to have prevented the appointment of a new
Deputy-Director.

According to various sources, extravagent parties were thrown on a
regular basis at our Paris embassy.

Furthermore, the French daily 'Le Figaro' reports that the Belgian
Embassy in Paris is 70,000 euros in the red.
Minister speaks out
The Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht (Flemish liberal) spoke
for the first time about the affair in an interview with the
Francophone daily 'Le Soir'.

Mr De Gucht says that the accusations being taken seriously.

Things came to a head when Mr Schmidt tried to obtain a loan from a
Paris bank by using a forged letter from the Belgian Foreign Ministry.

A bank clerk suspected that something was not right and reported the
incident to the police.

Mr De Gucht told the paper that there are strong indications that
point to Mr Schmidt having been responsible for producing the forgery.

Meanwhile the ambassador denies any wrong doing and says that he is
the victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt. 49-year-old Mr
Schmidt adds that a lot of people felt put out that such a relatively
young diplomat had been given the prestigious post of Belgian
Ambassador in Paris.

"22.9" a écrit dans le message de
ps.com...
http://www.flandersnews.be/cm/flande...s/070831_paris

Belgium calls back Paris ambassador

Fri 31/08/07 - The Belgian ambassador in Paris Pierre-Dominique
Schmidt has been relieved of his duties and called back to Brussels,
admid accusations that he falsified documents in order to obtain extra
credit from a bank. The Foreign Ministry has opened an enquiry and Mr
Schmidt will face displinary measures, if the acussations are proved
to be true.
The ambassador has also come under fire from the head of the Belgian
House in Paris.
(VRT)
The Belgian house is a house for Belgian students that are studying in
the French capital.

The Ambassadors is the Chairman of the House's Board and according to
its Director, Mr Schmidt has a stange approach to handling the Belgian
House's financial affairs.

Mr Schmit is also said to have prevented the appointment of a new
Deputy-Director.

According to various sources, extravagent parties were thrown on a
regular basis at our Paris embassy.

Furthermore, the French daily 'Le Figaro' reports that the Belgian
Embassy in Paris is 70,000 euros in the red.
Minister speaks out
The Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht (Flemish liberal) spoke
for the first time about the affair in an interview with the
Francophone daily 'Le Soir'.

Mr De Gucht says that the accusations being taken seriously.

Things came to a head when Mr Schmidt tried to obtain a loan from a
Paris bank by using a forged letter from the Belgian Foreign Ministry.

A bank clerk suspected that something was not right and reported the
incident to the police.

Mr De Gucht told the paper that there are strong indications that
point to Mr Schmidt having been responsible for producing the forgery.

Meanwhile the ambassador denies any wrong doing and says that he is
the victim of a politically motivated witch-hunt. 49-year-old Mr
Schmidt adds that a lot of people felt put out that such a relatively
young diplomat had been given the prestigious post of Belgian
Ambassador in Paris.