Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS6326
2006-09-20 15:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): TOTAL ON ITS
how-tonull Lucia A Keegan 09/21/2006 02:26:17 PM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 06326 SIPDIS cxparis: ACTION: ECON INFO: LABO FCS DCM POL ORA AMB ENGO SCIO AGR TRDO ECNO UNESCO ECSO SCI ESCI DISSEMINATION: ECONOUT /1 CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: EMIN:TWHITE DRAFTED: ECON:HSULLIVAN CLEARED: ECON:SDWYER VZCZCFRI266 PP RUEHC RUCNMEM RUCNIRA RUEHBJ RUEHIL RUEHKL RUEHMO RUEHNE RUEHNY RUEHKO RUEHUNV DE RUEHFR #6326 2631532 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 201532Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1539 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1319 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0648 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0230 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 5628 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1013 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 1413 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2353 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0540
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006326
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC, EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, NEA/NGA AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2021
TAGS: ETTC EINV EPET FR IR
SUBJECT: IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): TOTAL ON ITS
REPORTED INTEREST IN AZADEGAN PROJECT
REF: A. PARIS 6211
B. STATE 148000
Classified By: Classified by Econ Minister Thomas White for Reasons 1.5
(d) and (e).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006326
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC, EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, NEA/NGA AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2021
TAGS: ETTC EINV EPET FR IR
SUBJECT: IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): TOTAL ON ITS
REPORTED INTEREST IN AZADEGAN PROJECT
REF: A. PARIS 6211
B. STATE 148000
Classified By: Classified by Econ Minister Thomas White for Reasons 1.5
(d) and (e).
1. (C) Summary. Total has not yet made irrevocable decisions
to invest in the Azadegan Project. Until the UN Security
Council agrees on international sanctions, however, Total
would consider geographical, technical, and political risks
in evaluating investment possibilities in Iran, a senior
Total official told embassy officers. End summary.
2. (SBU) On September 19, EconCounselor followed up previous
meetings with the GOF (ref a) to convey ref b points to Total
International Relations Senior Vice Hubert Loiseleur des
Longchamps on Total's reported interest in Iran's Azadegan
Project. Total Vice President Romaric Roignan also joined
the meeting. EconCouns underlined that the timing of a
possible investment would be particularly unfortunate given
Iran's failure to comply by August 31 with UN Security
Council Resolution 1696.
3. (C) des Longchamps responded that Total's role as an oil
company was the exploration and production of oil and gas
resources. Other large oil firms had a productive base in
more stable countries with Exxon, Chevron, and Conoco
producing in the U.S. and British Petroleum and Shell
drilling in the North Sea. Total had no such base and its
efforts focused on locations with greater geological,
technical, and political risk. The international petroleum
market had little spare capacity and Iranian oil was
important to ensuring market stability. EconCounselor
acknowledged the challenging conditions that Total, like
other oil companies, faced in difficult operating
environments. But Iran was a special case and it was
important not to send a "business as usual" signal,
particularly at this sensitive time.
4. (C) The UN Security Council (UNSC) has not yet imposed
sanctions on Iran, des Longchamps said. If the UNSC adopted
international sanctions, Total would respect them. In the
meanwhile, however, Total had to pursue the interest of its
shareholders. Without Total participation, the Japanese firm
Inpex would likely proceed with the Azadegan project, since
Total would have only a minority share. des Longchamps
assured us that Total has taken no irreversible decisions
yet, and he promised to inform other relevant Total officials
of the U.S. position.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/ESC, EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, NEA/NGA AND EAP/J
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2021
TAGS: ETTC EINV EPET FR IR
SUBJECT: IRAN AND LIBYA SANCTIONS ACT (ILSA): TOTAL ON ITS
REPORTED INTEREST IN AZADEGAN PROJECT
REF: A. PARIS 6211
B. STATE 148000
Classified By: Classified by Econ Minister Thomas White for Reasons 1.5
(d) and (e).
1. (C) Summary. Total has not yet made irrevocable decisions
to invest in the Azadegan Project. Until the UN Security
Council agrees on international sanctions, however, Total
would consider geographical, technical, and political risks
in evaluating investment possibilities in Iran, a senior
Total official told embassy officers. End summary.
2. (SBU) On September 19, EconCounselor followed up previous
meetings with the GOF (ref a) to convey ref b points to Total
International Relations Senior Vice Hubert Loiseleur des
Longchamps on Total's reported interest in Iran's Azadegan
Project. Total Vice President Romaric Roignan also joined
the meeting. EconCouns underlined that the timing of a
possible investment would be particularly unfortunate given
Iran's failure to comply by August 31 with UN Security
Council Resolution 1696.
3. (C) des Longchamps responded that Total's role as an oil
company was the exploration and production of oil and gas
resources. Other large oil firms had a productive base in
more stable countries with Exxon, Chevron, and Conoco
producing in the U.S. and British Petroleum and Shell
drilling in the North Sea. Total had no such base and its
efforts focused on locations with greater geological,
technical, and political risk. The international petroleum
market had little spare capacity and Iranian oil was
important to ensuring market stability. EconCounselor
acknowledged the challenging conditions that Total, like
other oil companies, faced in difficult operating
environments. But Iran was a special case and it was
important not to send a "business as usual" signal,
particularly at this sensitive time.
4. (C) The UN Security Council (UNSC) has not yet imposed
sanctions on Iran, des Longchamps said. If the UNSC adopted
international sanctions, Total would respect them. In the
meanwhile, however, Total had to pursue the interest of its
shareholders. Without Total participation, the Japanese firm
Inpex would likely proceed with the Azadegan project, since
Total would have only a minority share. des Longchamps
assured us that Total has taken no irreversible decisions
yet, and he promised to inform other relevant Total officials
of the U.S. position.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON