IIC FOLLOW-UP: FRENCH INVESTIGATIVE JUDGE VISITS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 002177 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/WE, NEA/I, IO/PSC-LIZ PARKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2016 TAGS: PREL KFIN PGOV PINR IZ FR SUBJECT: IIC FOLLOW-UP: FRENCH INVESTIGATIVE JUDGE VISITS BAGHDAD REF: PARIS 2137 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR JOSIAH ROSENBLATT, FOR REAS ONS 1.4 B/D ¶1. (C) On April 3, poloff spoke with financial investigating judge Philippe Courroye, who heads the independent judicial inquiry into potential French involvement in Oil-for-Food Program corruption. Courroye said the Le Figaro article in para 3 of reftel was "behind the times," since he had already been to Baghdad to further his OFF-related investigation. He thanked Embassy Baghdad officials for meeting with him and said the trip had been very useful. ¶2. (C) In response to a separate news article reporting that he would soon be leaving the financial investigations section of the Paris Prosecutor's office, Courroye said the article was incorrect and filled with "false rumors." Courroye speculated that whoever was responsible wanted him to leave because of any one of the many investigations he was currently conducting. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm Stapleton