Today's Date:

The press section acts as the Embassy spokesman. This office works closely with the American press to ensure accurate representation of French policy and current events in U.S. media. One of its functions is to answer journalists' questions and provide them with documentation. Another responsibility is to analyze the American press and submit press reviews to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris.

An important part of this office is the Resource Center, which each year answers 35,000 electronic, telephone, fax and mail requests for information about France. Researchers in the Resource Center answer questions on anything from the French judicial system to the number cigarette butts found in the Paris metro.

The Press and Information Service produces two periodicals and a variety of other publications as they become necessary. One of the periodicals is FRANCE Magazine, a quarterly which brings French business and culture to its 60,000 plus readers in the United States. The other is the semimonthly News from France newsletter on current trends and events in France. Other publications include documents prepared on specific topics to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and a variety of brochures, including this one.

This service is also in charge of maintaining the embassy's Web site, http://www.ambafrance-us.org. A variety of information can be obtained through the site: Under News and Statements, News from France can be accessed in its entirety, as well as audio representation of many French radio stations and statements made by the French Ambassador to the United States.

The site also contains information on French culture, with links to sites presenting upcoming events in France, language studies, trade, technology and press releases from many French companies doing business in the United States.

In addition to providing up-to-date information on a variety of contemporary topics in France, the site provides hundreds of links to other relevant sites, including that of the French Foreign Ministry and all other ministries which maintain Web sites.

The resource center is open to the public by appointment only Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tel: (202) 944-6060