FRANCE: DEMARCHE ON JULY 20 BAGHDAD COMPACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 004951 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA, EUR/WE, C E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2016 TAGS: EAID PREL FR IZ ECIN OTRA SUBJECT: FRANCE: DEMARCHE ON JULY 20 BAGHDAD COMPACT MEETING CANCELLATION REF: SECSTATE 117788 Classified By: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION THOMAS WHITE FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D ¶1. (SBU) Embassy provided reftel points to the offices of Foreign Ministry Political Director Stansilas de Laboulaye and Ministry of Finance Director General of the Treasury and Economic Policy Xavier Musca to update them after their recent meetings with Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Robert Kimmitt and State Department Counselor Philip Zelikow. Laboulaye's office confirmed that France has already named a "Compact Coordinator," Ambassador Jean-Pierre Guinhut. ¶2. (C) Poloff discussed the possibility of a French statement of support with MFA Iraq desk officer Bernard Cappedelaine, who said France was unlikely to make any statement until there was further clarification about how the Compact will proceed, and in particular the calendar for future meetings. He took the occasion to express the French sentiment that the Compact should give greater weight to security issues, and to repeat the French desire to see wider participation in the Compact, including Russia and neighboring states in the region. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON