Boutros flies in
BOONDOGGLE fanciers should keep their eyes on the seventh arrondissement in Paris, where a promising newcomer is look- ing for a home. On New Year's Day it acquired a secretary-general, no less than Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who made such a success of the United Nations and at the age of 75 is just getting into his stride. For the moment, the Flying Boutros is being put up by Unesco, which (as befits a world- class boondoggle) is palatially established in the 7me, but of course he and his staff still need a palace of their own. Then they can settle down to the serious work of hold- ing meetings, distributing air tickets, and providing tax-free jobs in Paris for minis- ters' nephews and girlfriends from across the world. Francophonie is the name of this boondoggle, which is said to represent 500 million people, half of whom speak French. I rely on the Commonwealth Secretariat to negotiate observer status for us. I used to aspire to be our ambassador to the Organi- sation for Economic Co-operation and Development, but now that the Treasury has sold the Paris town-house that went with that undemanding job, an attachment to Francophonie would suit me nicely.
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