SIGIR Stuart Bowen's PD Program in France, Nov 20 - 22,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 007567 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/PPD SECDEF FOR OSD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO KDEM IZ FR SUBJECT: SIGIR Stuart Bowen's PD Program in France, Nov 20 - 22, 2006 ¶1. SUMMARY: The Embassy's Public Affairs Section (PAS) took advantage of the visit to France of Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) Stuart Bowen, November 20-22, 2006, to program him as a "target of opportunity" speaker in both Paris and Lille. Presenting updated information from the most recent SIGIR Quarterly Report to the U.S. Congress, Mr. Bowen described for both French military and media audiences the work of SIGIR's auditors, inspectors and investigators, highlighting the challenges they face providing fiscal oversight of U.S.-led reconstruction in Iraq. Mr. Bowen's three-day schedule in France was organized by PAS to give senior French military and civilian officials, as well as journalists and European diplomats, a better understanding of U.S. reconstruction policy in Iraq. Mr. Bowen's presentations combined hard data, informed analysis and personal experience with great effectiveness. His remarks were well-received, with his interlocutors reporting him to be credible, objective and willing to acknowledge reconstruction problems that need to be and are being addressed, such as unsatisfactory performance by some contractors. While in Paris, Mr. Bowen also met with the Ambassador and briefed Embassy officers. END SUMMARY. ¶2. His three-day program included "off-the-record" talks with members of the Forces Employment Doctrine Center (CDEF),a think tank attached to the Ministry of Defense, military officers stationed at the French Army Land Forces Command (CFAT),opinion leaders members of the Forum du Futur (a non-partisan organization of opinion leaders) and European delegates members of the political committee of the Assembly of the Western European Union. He also met with French journalists, the Ambassador to France and political officers at the Embassy. ¶3. On November 20, Stuart Bowen had a private meeting with General Desportes, the Director of the Forces Employment Doctrine Center (CDEF),a think tank attached to the Ministry of Defense. He presented to CDEF members material from the two "lessons learned" reports published by SIGIR in 2006, which cover lessons in human capital management and in contracting and procurement. Mr. Bowen's contribution to the work of CDEF was seen in one of the participant's reaction: "The French military doctrine is making progress through U.S. difficulties in Iraq." Traveling to Lille in the afternoon, he participated in a closed-door briefing to senior officers of the French Army Land Forces Command (CFAT). The meeting, hosted by CFAT Chief of Staff Gen Lafontaine, included two other general officers, and several colonels on the CFAT staff. Mr. Bowen, with APP Lille Consul, led a free-ranging and frank discussion of the work of the Inspector General, progress in U.S.-led reconstruction efforts, and the current situation in Iraq. ¶4. On November 21, Mr. Bowen spoke, off-the-record, at a breakfast organized by the Forum du Futur, a non-partisan organization of opinion leaders, about US reconstruction projects in Iraq and his determination to ensure accountability and transparency. Mr. Bowen also suggested that it would be timely for France and other nations to join U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq, citing the pending finalization of the International Compact for Iraq. At the conclusion of the presentation, the president of the Forum du Futur emphasized that while France had not supported the US intervention in Iraq, they have great respect for the sacrifices of members of the U.S. military in Iraq, and their families. His day concluded with an on-the-record briefing with French journalists. Mr. Bowen reviewed the current situation in Iraq in terms of reconstruction programs and operations and his findings on the use of the IRRF (Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund). He emphasized the need for Iraqi government ministries to take a more active role in reconstruction management, and in fighting corruption. He also noted that SIGIR's emphasis in coming months will be to assess projects that have been completed to determine if they are meeting the needs for which they were developed. Throughout his appearances, he stressed the difficulties posed by the violence in Iraq, and the need for more effort in developing "rule of law" programs. ("support from France would be ` propos".) ¶5. A Western European Union political officer attending the Forum du Futur's meeting, arranged an invitation for Mr. Bowen to make remarks for European Parliamentarians attending the Political Committee of the Assembly of the Western European Union in Paris on November 22. Delegates expressed appreciation for the perspectives offered by Mr. Bowen. ¶6. During his visit in Paris, Mr. Bowen also met with Ambassador Craig Stapleton and Embassy officers. ¶7. This cable was cleared by Jim Mitchell, Assistant Inspector General for Congressional & Public Affairs to the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, before his departure from Paris. STAPLETON