FRENCH FM DOUSTE-BLAZY TO ATTEND NEW DELHI

C O N F I D E N T I A L PARIS 006986 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2016 TAGS: ECON ENRG ETRD EAGR KPWR EAID BEXP PGOV PREL FR SUBJECT: FRENCH FM DOUSTE-BLAZY TO ATTEND NEW DELHI REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN (RECC) REF: STATE 173828 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On October 23, we conveyed U.S. support for and encouraged French attendance at the New Delhi Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC) to Pierre Fournier, Afghanistan desk officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fournier responded that Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy would head a small delegation of no more than six technical experts to the conference. Douste-Blazy will already be in India for a bilateral visit to New Delhi and wants to take advantage of his visit to attend the conference, Fournier said. Douste-Blazy also plans to schedule a bilateral discussion with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the margins of the conference. ¶2. (C) Fournier expressed mild regrets that Secretary Rice would not be heading the U.S. delegation. ¶3. (U) Fournier also noted the French Agency for Development (AFD) will be in charge of encouraging French companies to attend the business-to-business forum on November 18. The AFD will develop a list of companies that will attend in the next two weeks. ¶4. (U) Prior to the demarche, we contacted the Indian and Afghan Embassies, who said they would reach out separately to the French to encourage business participation. Please visit Paris' Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm STAPLETON