By DPA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy plans to restructure the country’s secret services and place them directly under presidential control, the Le Monde newspaper is expected to report in its Tuesday edition.
Diplomat Bernard Bajolet, 59, is tipped to take over the newly created post of secret service coordinator, the report seen Monday said.
Bajolet has worked as French ambassador to Iraq and Algeria.
The coordination of France’s assorted secret services used to fall under the prime minister’s office.
In Sarkozy’s recently published white paper on military reform, the president stressed that the work of the secret services would become more important, especially in the fight against terrorism.
There are some 12,500 people employed in the various branches of the French secret service.