PARIS, MAY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The ministers' protfolios in the staff of the 15-person government headed by Prime Minister of France Francois Fillon will be distributed among 7 women and 8 men. The Foreign Minister's post will be accepted by socialist Bernard Kouchner. To recap, after Sarkozy's victory in the elections, rumours were circulating about preserving the Foreign Minister's post for one of the President's close allies, French Parliament member Patrick Devedjian. But, as Chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation Hilda Choboian informed Radio Liberty, Devedjian will accept the post of the State Council head of the state of Hauts-de-Seine of the region of Paris which was once occupied by Nicolas Sarkozy." Former Prime Minister of France Alain Juppe will head the Ministry of Environment, Development, Energy and Transport, which is, by the way, considered a new ministry in France. Rachida Dati who has promoted very active activity during Sarkozy's pre-electoral campaign, received the portfolio of the Justice Minister. By the way, Mrs. Dati became the first minister in the history of France who is a representative of the ethnic minority in France. Her family immigrated France from North Africa. Parliament deputy Herve Morin accepted the Defence Minister's post. Michele Alliot-Marie who before headed the Defence Ministry received the portfolio of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The first sitting of the new government of France was on May 18, in the second half of the day.

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