19/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, at the initiative of MEP Margie Sudre, the EP's Intergroup "Francophonie and Cultural Diversity" welcomed the former Minister for Francophonie, the writer Denis Tillnac, a member of France's High Council for Francophonie and a former adviser to President Chirac. According to a press release, Mr Tillnac encouraged MEPs to "mobilise to demand that French be used in international institutions, be they political, such as the European Institutions, or scientific". Mr Tillnac, who pointed out the fundamental importance of literacy in certain areas such as Africa, which is home to 150 to 200 million French speakers, pronounced himself in favour of a kind of "Marshall Plan for Education" by French-speaking countries. He feels that "the fight of French speakers is identical to those of speakers of German, Spanish or Portuguese: let us join forces against 'basic' English and for linguistic and cultural diversity".