Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS6211
2006-09-15 13:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): FRANCE ON
how-tonull Lucia A Keegan 09/18/2006 10:24:21 AM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 06211 SIPDIS cxparis: ACTION: ECON INFO: DCM ECNO UNESCO ECSO SCI ENGO SCIO TRDO ESCI FCS POL ORA AMB AGR LABO DISSEMINATION: ECONOUT /1 CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: EMIN:TWHITE DRAFTED: ECON:HSULLIVAN CLEARED: DCM:KHOFMANN (SUBS),ECON:SDWYER VZCZCFRI902 OO RUEHC RUEHKO RUCNMEM RUCNIRA RUEHBJ RUEHIL RUEHKL RUEHMO RUEHNE RUEHNY RUEHUNV DE RUEHFR #6211 2581359 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 151359Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1371 INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2342 RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1315 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0639 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0225 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5614 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1010 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 1405 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0537
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006211
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC, EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, NEA/NGA AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016
TAGS: ETTC EINV EPET FR IR
SUBJECT: IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): FRANCE ON
TOTAL'S REPORTED INTEREST IN AZADEGAN PROJECT
REF: STATE 148000
Classified By: Economic Minister-Counselor Thomas White for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006211
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC, EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, NEA/NGA AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2016
TAGS: ETTC EINV EPET FR IR
SUBJECT: IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): FRANCE ON
TOTAL'S REPORTED INTEREST IN AZADEGAN PROJECT
REF: STATE 148000
Classified By: Economic Minister-Counselor Thomas White for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)
1.(C) On September 13, as part of U/S Levey,s conversations
with President Chirac,s diplomatic advisor Maurice
Gourdault-Montagne, Charge raised the recent TOTAL press
statements, saying they had been unfavorably noted in
Washington and were seen as unwelcome &business as usual8
signals at a time when the international community and in
particular France and the US were working to maintain
pressure on Tehran. MGM acknowledged the points. ECMIN made
the same points on September 12 to Alain Demarolle, economic
advisor to Prime Minister Villepin. Demarolle did not
comment substantively, but noted that he understood the
sensitivity and &bad timing8 of the press statements.
¶2. (SBU) On September 14, EconCounselor met with Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Energy, Transport, and Infrastructure Deputy
Director Nicole Taillefer (DAS-equivalent) to convey reftel
points. EconCouns underlined that the timing of the
investment was particularly unfortunate since it would
suggest "business as usual" despite Iran's failure to comply
by August 31 with UN Security Council Resolution 1696.
¶3. (SBU) Taillefer responded that the MFA had a regular
dialogue with French energy firms, including TOTAL, and would
"sensitize" TOTAL to Iranian developments. However, TOTAL
was a private firm and neither the EU nor France had legal
restrictions in investing in Iran's energy sector. Taillefer
cited Total CEO Thierry Desmarest's comments to the press on
September 8 in which he said that TOTAL would respect
decisions made by the French government and the European
Union, but that TOTAL's Iranian business was not subject to
U.S. law. Taillefer said that she would share our points
with GOF counterparts and would inform us of any evolution in
the French position.
¶4. (U) Embassy will discuss Azadegan with senior TOTAL
officials on September 19.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON