PARIS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday that he had referred Fabrice Aidan's matter to the public prosecutor after the diplomat's name appeared in the Epstein files.
In a post on social media platform X late Tuesday, Barrot said he had notified the public prosecutor under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding alleged facts involving the diplomat.
According to the French foreign affairs ministry, Aidan is the "principal secretary of foreign affairs, currently on leave for personal convenience and holding positions in the private sector."
Barrot said he had also launched an administrative investigation to assist judicial authorities and initiated disciplinary proceedings.
Speaking to RTL radio on Wednesday, Barrot said he was "appalled" and "indignant" over presence of a French diplomat's name in the Epstein files.
Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang has offered to step down as president of the Arab World Institute, a Paris-based cultural and academic institution, amid controversy linked to newly released documents related to the Epstein case, French media reported on Saturday. ■
