Former Permanent Secretary for the Pacific and Ambassador representing France to the Pacific community, Mr. Hadelin de la Tour-du-Pin is an experienced high official. A historian by training, he very quickly chose foreign affairs as his specialisation. He is now French Ambassador to Monaco.
Your Excellency, you presented your letters of credence to H.S.H. Prince Albert on 15 October. After 8 months in the Principality, what are your first impressions?
I didn’t know Monaco well, even if I had a positive image of it: tourism, celebrities, culture, magazine images etc. - Monegasque realities are often unknown, and not only in France!
During his official visit to Monaco in November 2013, President François Hollande toured several industries, research laboratories and companies. The French delegation left with the conviction that Monegasque prosperity was an asset to its neighbour, France. I believe it is important for Monaco to make all its strengths known - “Monaco is more than Monaco!”
It is a renowned ‘international brand’ but also much, much more. This small country is known worldwide for its cultural and sports standing but also for its economic activity. The Monegasque financial centre is dynamic and has been greatly modernised. Monaco’s influence extends far beyond its immediate environment: to the border countries of course – over 38,000 French people come to work in Monaco every day – but throughout the world as well.
Monaco is also a country that is clever at playing with geographical constraints. Since the 1984 agreement with France, Monaco has benefited from a maritime window on the open sea, but its land is very limited. The Monegasque government has managed to develop the country horizontally and vertically, through an ingenious system of lifts and stairways, which surprised me. The management of scarcity of space is fascinating in a cubist, vertical universe.
Can you clarify the role of French Ambassador to Monaco for us?
First it should be recalled that although relations between France and Monaco go back at least seven centuries, the French Embassy was created only recently - it will be ten years old in January 2016. Before that, the Consulate General of France in Monaco was more geared to the French community. It was Monaco’s joining the United Nations and then the Council of Europe, together with the evolution of the bilateral treaties, that justified the opening of a full Embassy on 1st January 2006.
The Embassy has two executives and 8 officers under the authority of the ambassador. Relations between the two countries are increasingly diversified and the local administrative echelons are proving increasingly useful. Some 9000 French nationals live in Monaco. The Embassy’s consular activities, namely the registry office, issue of passports and other documents, visas and foreigners’ residence in Monaco, remain an important mission.
But above all the Embassy has the role of official representation of the French Republic. It represents the French government to the Monegasque government, and deals with all dossiers, particularly economic ones, of interest to both countries.
Which dossiers do you work on specifically?
Like Andorra, San Marino and Liechtenstein, Monaco already enjoys privileged relations with the European Union, which have in particular led to participation in the internal market. Improved administrative cooperation in tax matters and combating fraud appear an essential complement to this advanced trade. France welcomes and encourages the financial ‘compliance’ decisions which Monaco has taken.
Moreover, in December 2010, the Council of the European Union wanted to open “negotiation of one or more framework agreements of association” with Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, with a view to the greater integration of these three States into the home market. France is, of course, following the negotiation of these agreements with interest and goodwill. Many topics are being addressed: phytosanitary standards, transport, freedom of establishment etc., which affect many important aspects of our relations with Monaco.
The Embassy is also involved in cross-border relations, in conjunction with locally elected officials (town councils, Conseil Général etc.) and the Alpes Maritimes prefecture. The Franco-Monegasque Commission for Local Cross-Border Cooperation was established in 2005 and meets every year alternately in Nice or Monaco. It aims to address the many practical questions which impact on good neighbourly relations between Monaco and its close French neighbours (transport; land use; environment; health matters and employment law etc.) The most recent session took place on 6 February at the prefectural headquarters in Nice.
The 8th meeting of the Franco-Monegasque Cooperation Commission was in turn held at the State Department on 21 April, under the joint presidency of H.E. Michel Roger, Minister of State of the Principality of Monaco, and the Ambassador Christian Masset, General Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. At it, we re-examined some local dossiers and also dealt with other topics: visas, security, the appointment of senior officials, preparation of international conferences etc. In addition, the Monegasque government used this session to repeat its full support for the objective of reaching a comprehensive, ambitious and binding agreement with which to address the challenge of climate change on the occasion of the Paris Climate 2015 conference, to be held at the end of the year.
There is no shortage of dossiers, as you can see!
Which developments do you see as desirable?
In the consular administration area, implementing a ‘major simplification drive’ via increased use of paperless of documents so that their addressees receive them more conveniently, whether in Monaco or the neighbouring municipalities as well as in Paris.
As cultural exchange has always taken place naturally between France and Monaco, with a high level of excellence, I prefer to devote myself to ‘economic diplomacy’ in order to boost France-Monaco trade – even though the Customs Union between the two countries makes it difficult to measure its magnitude.
That magnitude is already evident with the visible presence of major French brands in Monaco in the luxury, culture and fashion field, as well as the setting up and development of many French financial institutions in Monaco. And we are, of course, mindful that funds deposited in Monaco may also be invested at least partially in France, in businesses, hotels, property and even vineyards.
Previously you were Ambassador and Permanent Secretary for the Pacific; Prince Albert is a staunch defender of the environment and the oceans. Do you identify with this cause?
I’d like to emphasise that Prince Albert is one of the few heads of state who is very familiar with the Pacific Ocean; since 1981 when he discovered it when aboard the French Navy training ship ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ for 6 months. He is also close to several heads of state of these island nations which cover huge sea areas despite their small size. In such countries the problem of the environment is to be found everywhere: the increased sea temperature causes the decline of coral reefs while coastal erosion threatens all infrastructure located close to the sea.
Including an ‘Oceans’ section in the conclusions of the upcoming Paris Climate Conference seems highly pertinent. Prince Albert II is known for his commitment and he has an international aura, real knowledge of the issues and true convictions. We are pleased and proud to count on his support, as his stances on the sustainable economy are very close to those defended by France and the European Union in these areas.
