For months after a series of blunders by French Foreign Minister Claude Cheysson, rumors of his departure had been gaining momentum. He committed his most serious faux pas last month when he stated flatly that Libyan forces had withdrawn from northern Chad, only to have an embarrassed President Francois Mitterrand admit several days later that the troops were still there. The rumors were finally borne out last week when Mitterrand tersely announced Cheysson's appointment to the European Commission, the executive body of the European Community.
Cheysson is succeeded as Foreign Minister by the government spokesman and European Affairs Minister, Roland Dumas, 62, Mitterrand's longtime personal friend and confidant. Although Dumas is said to be less hard-line toward the Soviet Union, less committed to the Third World and more pro-Israel than his predecessor, his appointment will probably have little overall effect on French diplomacy, which is traditionally the President's domain. Said Dumas in Paris last week: "I think French foreign policy has been masterfully conducted by Mr. Mitterrand, and I don't see any reason why it should change."