A new director of security for the diplomatic service

(BRUSSELS2) It is a Dutch diplomat, Frans Jacob Potuyt, currently Dutch ambassador to Kazakhstan, who will be responsible for securing the diplomatic service (SEAE). He has just been appointed Director of Security for the EEAS by the High Representative of the EU.

A discreet but strategic spot

With the rise of a European diplomatic service, headquarters and EU delegations have become a target of choice. For a terrorist group - and this is one of the main fears whether it is a matter of hostage-taking or an attack - attacking an EU embassy is the assurance of having an impact (the media and political echo being the desired goal) in several countries of the European Union, due to the number of nationalities gathered in each delegation. But there are also other "threats" that require both security and political reflection and appropriate prevention measures (neither too secure nor too little). Critics of European policy (of sanctions, for example) could demonstrate or even storm the embassy (as happened recently in Damascus in front of the French or United States embassies). Political opponents, asylum seekers or economic migrants could request refuge at the embassy. Not to mention spying.

The new director in a few lines

FJ Potuyt has some experience in this area. He was the security director of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005-2009) and had to manage "hot" locations such as Lebanon, the Balkans, Palestine or Afghanistan. Born in Zwolle on January 12, 1954, graduated in private law from the University of Amsterdam, Potuyt joined the Dutch diplomatic service in 1980. He was posted in embassies in Beijing, Hanoi, Tel Aviv, Damascus, Rome (at the defense college) and in Zagreb. In 1998, he was the deputy head of the mission in Tehran. 4 years later, he became NATO's deputy political adviser in Naples. In 2003, he left for Ramallah as head of mission. Then it will be in 2009 in Astana (Kazakhstan).