Cablegate: French Hedge On Compact Signing Event

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OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #1530 1071219
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171219Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6528
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1211

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 001530

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/I FOR TAECKER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/17/2017
TAGS: FR EAID EFIN EG IC PGOV PREL UN GCC EU
SUBJECT: FRENCH HEDGE ON COMPACT SIGNING EVENT

REF: A. STATE 47346

B. STATE 50497

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Poloff delivered Reftel points to MFA Senior Iraq Desk
Officer Bernard Chappedelaine on April 16. Chappedelaine
noted that it might be difficult to secure French ministerial
representation at the Compact signing event due to the French
presidential elections; he predicted that the French would
wait until shortly before the signing ceremony before
finalizing their representational plans. (Note: French
ministers are curbing their foreign travel during the
election period, and FM Douste-Blazy is personally engaged in
campaigning for Nicolas Sarkozy.) With respect to the EIB,
Chappedelaine said the MFA would need to consult with the
Finance Ministry before providing a substantive response. On
technical assistance, Chappedelaine objected that France has
already offered to train up to 150 Iraqi civil servants per
year. Poloff countered that France should consider expanding
its training program in order to demonstrate its support for
Iraq and the Compact, and Chappedelaine reluctantly conceded
that an expansion might be possible.

2. (C) On a more positive note, Chappedelaine said France may
soon make a 500,000 euro donation to provide humanitarian
assistance to Iraqi refugees, in part so as to lessen the
burden the refugees impose on neighboring states (in
particular, Jordan).

3. (C) Post will also deliver reftel points at the earliest
possibility to Jean-Pierre Guinhut, France's
Inter-Ministerial Coordinator for Iraq reconstruction.

Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm

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