Boutros-Ghali Leads French Speakers

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, eased out as United Nations chief last year under U.S. pressure, was unanimously elected head of the 49-member La Francophonie grouping of French-speaking nations, seen by many as a guardian against domination by Anglo-Saxon influences. The Egyptian’s election to the post, fashioned after that of the head of the Commonwealth--the 54-nation grouping of mainly former British possessions--was intended to raise the voice of a grouping initially set up mainly to preserve the French language and culture. La Francophonie embraces countries from Canada to Vietnam. Many of its members are former French colonies.