FRANCE: DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS PARIS 007482

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FOR EB/CIP, EUR/WE, IO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIA EWWT ANET AORC PREL ECPS FR
SUBJECT: FRANCE: DEMARCHE IN ADVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL
MARITIME ORGANIZATION'S MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 183434


1. (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel demarche November 16 to
Eric Berder, Ministry of Transportation Deputy Director for
Maritime Safety. Berder noted that the EU had developed a
common position on the issue, to which France adhered. They
viewed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the
International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) as having
fundamentally different roles: the IMO as regulator, and IMSO
as properly charged with technical coordination. He said
this had been expressed in a Spanish proposal adopted at a
previous meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC),and
felt that the U.S. proposal to have the IMO take on
coordinating responsibilities for the Long Range
Identification and Tracking program (LRIT) ran contrary to
this decision. IMSO could be strengthened if necessary to
execute these responsibilities.


2. (SBU) Berder took particular note of our argument that
IMSO did not have the legal authority to perform these
responsibilities at present and the likely delays that
acquiring this would entail. He had not heard this point
raised before. However, he believed that the recent amendment
to the IMSO convention gave it sufficient legal authority to
play such a role. He said he would pass our points to the GOF
representative in London who follows IMO affairs.
Please visit Paris' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/paris/index.c fm
STAPLETON