via the New York Times:

Ms. Hashemi is the only member of the council who made the transition from Mr. Hussein's government to the new government. Educated in Paris at the Sorbonne, she began her career as a translator of French for Tariq Aziz, who served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister in Mr. Hussein's government.

In an interview last week, Ms. Hashemi expressed pride and satisfaction in having represented the Governing Council in delegations to the United Nations Security Council and in private discussions this month in Paris with Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin of France. She planned to go to New York next week as part of a delegation to try to claim Iraq's seat at the United Nations.

She said in the interview that she had admonished the French not to try to drive a wedge between the United States and the new Iraqi government by offering tempting plans for quick sovereignty.

"Don't think the Iraqis will ever forget what the Americans did in liberating them," she said she told French officials, adding, "we will not allow the Americans to fail."