The SMU Political Forum, sponsored by the Tower Center for Political Studies and the Edwin L. Cox School of Business, hosts His Excellency Jean-David Levitte, French Ambassador to the United States today.

Levitte will give a lecture entitled, “The Middle East Conflict: A French Perspective.” He will be speaking on the French Policies toward the conflict in the Middle East.

The lecture will be held in Crum Auditorium in the Collins Executive Center from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. and is open to the entire SMU community.

Ambassador Levitte is familiar with SMU through his patronage in 2004 of a rare exhibit of French artwork from the golden age of French art titled, “The Triumph of French Painting: 17th Century Masterpieces from the Museums of FRAME (French Regional and American Museum Exchange).”

Ambassador Levitte’s extensive background in French political affairs and his knowledge obtained from the many prestigious positions he has held throughout his career make him an excellent authority on French policy, according to a press release.

Ambassador Levitte has enjoyed a distinguished career in the French foreign service, serving on the staff of two French Presidents and holding numerous senior positions in the French foreign service.

Junior Kate Murphy, a French and economics major, is looking forward to Ambassador Levitte’s opinions and thoughts on the Middle East conflict since he is familiar with both the United States and French policy.

“After spending the last semester in France, I have seen first-hand the numerous political issues that America and France disagree on,” she said.

“Now that I have spent a considerable amount of time in both the United States and France, I have evaluated the concerns from both sides and am looking forward to hearing … Levitte’s stance on issues concerning American and French foreign policy with concerns in the Middle East.”

Levitte was assigned to his first position in the United States as Second Counselor at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York. He has served in senior positions in the French Foreign Ministry, first as Assistant Secretary for Asia and then as Undersecretary for Cultural and Scientific Cooperation.

After the presidential elections in 1995, President Jacques Chirac of France asked Ambassador Levitte to be his Senior Diplomatic Adviser. Levitte served in that position from 1995 to 2000. Chirac then appointed him as French Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 2000, his most recent position before the present one.