DEPARTING MFA NEA A/S-EQUIVALENT JEAN-FRANCOIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 004386 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2016 TAGS: PINR XF MO FR SUBJECT: DEPARTING MFA NEA A/S-EQUIVALENT JEAN-FRANCOIS THIBAULT NAMED NEW FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO MOROCCO Classified By: POL/MC Josiah Rosenblatt for reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (U) Post offers the following biographic report on Jean-Francois Thibault, newly named French Ambassador to Rabat, who leaves his current position as MFA A/S-equivalent for North Africa/Middle East on June 27, 2006 and is expected to arrive in Rabat shortly thereafter. His MFA successor has not been named yet. ¶2. (U) Jean-Francois Thibault was named ambassador, extraordinary and plenipotentary, to Morocco on June 16, ¶2006. Thibault served as the MFA,s North Africa/Middle East Director (A/S-equivalent) from January 2005 - June 2006. A career diplomat, Thibault was seconded to the staff of Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie as a consultant in the exportation of arms and munitions from 2003-05. He also served as Ambassador to Mauritania from 2001-03, and to the United Arab Emirates from 1997-2001. ¶3. (U) Thibault entered the French Foreign Service in 1973, serving brief tours in the MFA,s Orient (that is, near and middle east) bureau and the cultural relations directorate before leaving the MFA in 1974 to fulfill his his military service obligation. Returning to the MFA, he served in Manama (1975-76),Rabat (1976-79),and Abu Dhabi (1979-81). He was a member of France,s permanent delegation to the United Nations in New York from 1981-85, before being seconded to the government-owned oil company, Elf-Aquitaine, from 1985-90. ¶4. (U) Following a three-year period of voluntary leave, he returned to the MFA to work in the economic affairs and finance directorate from 1993-94. From 1994-97, he was under-director for industrial questions and sensitive exports. ¶5. (SBU) Thibault was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine on May 1, ¶1949. He is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies and the National School of Living Oriental Languages. He holds a degree in public law. Thibault is married to the former Catherine Dubois. The couple has two children. His speaks excellent English, and some Arabic. ¶6. (C) Post has found Thibault to be an open and affable interlocutor, and refreshingly free of the Quai s'Orsay's stereotypical arrogance or smugness. Thibault's 18-month tenure as director has been viewed by many of his subordinates as a period of declining influence for his bureau, during which the Presidency or other MFA actors have dominated French policy on Syria/Lebanon, Iran, and the Israeli-Palestinian issue. We have also found that it took Thibault some time to achieve genuine command of the key issues in his area of responsiblity. Thibault -- also somewhat exceptional for the Quai -- works in an inclusive way, often turning to subordinates for details and commentary at meetings. His assignment to Morocco -- described by many GoF officials as France's "most special" partner in the entire NEA region (including Lebanon) -- suggests he is being rewarded for a job well done and has the full confidence of the Presidency, though he is not quite the Elysee insider his immediate predecessor, current Ambassador to Lebanon Bernard Emie was. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON