Kouchner defends reputation amid “hypocrite” claims

France’s popular Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner took to the floor of parliament to issue an angry denial of allegations made in a new book that he had unethical ties with a number of African governments.

In the book, The World According to K by author Pierre Péan, the founder of Médecins-Sans-Frontières is portrayed as a hypocrite who earned fortunes as a consultant to the regimes of Congo -Brazzaville and Gabon. “At no time in Gabon or elsewhere did I abuse my ministerial position. I never mixed my various duties. My public health work has always been legal, legitimate, transparent and I may I say moral,” he said. Kouchner is to take legal action. The book claims associates of Kouchner sent bills of 4.6 million euros to Gabon and Congo for reports he wrote on their medical insurance systems. Its alleged he only picked up the money after being appointed to the government in 2007.More about: Gabon

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